Prisoner of Heart
by Elien101
Summary: AU- Bella was always a very gifted human being. What if Aro found out about these "gifts" and took her away to raise her into becoming his personal puppet. Locked away in the towers of Volterra for over a decade, Bella longs for a hero... a VAMPIRE hero.
1. Prologue

**Just a little FYI- I'm kinda new at this, and for right now I'm just tossing around a few ideas for this story… I'm currently working on another one that I'd like to finish first. So if you like what's here so far, I strongly suggest you check out my other story and leave comments; I'd love to hear what y'all think about my style of writing. Remember, I am new at this- so please go easy on me!**

**Starving for some reviews,**

**Elien ;)**

**Prologue**

BPOV

It's hard enough that I never knew what it was like to have a real life. I'd been a prisoner for as long as I can remember, and no one had ever told me why… that is, until I found out for myself just recently. Ever since I was very young, I thought that I was just someone else's trophy- I was always told how special I was, but I was also told how important it was that I obey all of my given commands. Back then, I didn't know better… I didn't know that I could have chosen another path- a path that would lead to a place so much better than where I knew I was heading for, for quite some time.

"Everything will be alright Bella… I got you; I won't let them touch you." Edward's voice sounded muffled in my hair as he cradled me protectively in his arms. I couldn't be sure if he knew I could hear him or not. At this point, I had been drifting in and out of consciousness. My body was beaten, exhausted. I knew that if Edward was capable of crying, he'd be in tears by now.

The scene did appear to be hopeless. The two of us were curled up in the corner with Edward trying to serve as a shield around me. I had used all the energy I could muster, and so had Edward. He continued to whisper sweet nothings into my ear that provided little comfort, as I knew we were both about to meet our end. The monster _smiled pleasantly at us as he sauntered forward to kill us._


	2. Chapter 1

**Reviews, reviews, reviews, reviews, reviews, reviews, reviews, reviews, reviews, reviews, reviews, reviews, reviews, reviews, reviews, reviews, reviews- I'm just gonna keep saying it 'til y'all give me **_**at least**_** fifteen- reviews, reviews, reviews, reviews…**

**A Predestined Discovery**

EPOV-

She'd been having these visions for weeks. Alice, my assumed, sister had the uncanny- yet sometimes annoying- gift of foresight. Although, I could only say it was annoying when she kept her visions from me, much like she was doing now. I had caught a few glimpses, but not enough to unravel what she trying to hide. As a mind-reader, I was used to hearing (or seeing) what everyone around me was thinking… don't judge me so quickly, though; my gift isn't something I can simply "turn off." Therefore, I cannot help hearing people's every thought. It's a habit that I had grown used to over the decades- which is why the fact that Alice was currently occupying her thoughts with anything other than what she had foreseen was beginning to get on my last nerve. Still, we had other things to worry about. We were on a first class flight to Volterra, Italy in regards to helping assist one of our family's newest friends.

We met him about a year ago; and by 'we,' I mean me and Alice, along with the rest of our family: Our parental figures- Carlisle and Esme, our other siblings- Emmett and his wife, Rosalie, and then of course Alice's husband, Jasper… Though, none of us were related by blood at _any _means. No, we were a family in a much different sort of way. But I'm getting ahead of myself. We met our new friend when we took a long needed vacation from trying to live a human life and spent a month or two on Esme Island- yes, an isle Carlisle had purchased for his wife. It was during one of our hunting trips on the nearest mainland that Alice's visions suddenly became blocked and the two of us discovered a being we never imagined to be in existence. Nahuel, an immortal like us and his aunt Huilen- who was also with him at the time- was a native that Alice didn't see coming, which was definitely a first. The reason was because he was a particularly rare creature, one that Alice never knew of; Nahuel was only half immortal, while the other half of him was human. He and his aunt had been looking for his immortal father, mostly so he could find his three other possible half-breed sisters. Alice and I ended up helping them, and that was what led us to where we were now.

Upon finding his sisters, Nahuel discovered that his father was slain by the Volturi guard for trying to create a different breed of immortal children. Since then, the Volturi had been looking for them too. That was why Alice and I were on our way to Italy. Rumor was that Nahuel was captured (though he managed to help his sisters escape) and was now being put to trial before the three leaders of the Volturi coven. Normally, there wouldn't even be a trial. However, since situations like Nahuel's had never occurred before, I could only assume the Volturi was curious enough to make an exception. Though, I was certain it also had something to do with one of the leaders, Aro, wanting to make another attempt at somehow coveting me and Alice for our gifts. That was why the two of us decided to take this journey on our own. If Jasper came, I'm not sure he would've been able to control himself; he knew how much Aro wanted Alice, and he was very protective of her.

Hours later, we arrived to Volterra. The buildings that belonged to the Volturi seemed to loom over the beautiful city like an ancient, dark omen for all outsiders. As we approached the large double doors beneath the clock tower I instinctively looked up to see if the sun might break out of the clouds that covered the sky. When I saw nothing amiss my eyes trailed back down, only to stop at one of the many windows of the nearby tower. There was nothing special about it- small, arc shaped, and made of foggy glass that was difficult for someone even of my keen sight to see through… So why did I pause to look at it? Alice stopped beside me and let out a small gasp, and that was when I caught a first clear glimpse of what she'd been seeing. It was short, as Alice quickly hid the rest of the vision from me, but I was able to see the fingers of my cold white hands running through a tangled mess of thick brown hair…

**...**

The trial had gone on for an immeasurable amount of time, or so it had seemed. And that's really saying something coming from me. The actual Volturi coven lived mostly deep beneath the grounds of the city, under their tall towers where night and day disappeared along with all other means of time. There, Alice and I stood before the thrones of the three leaders to defend for our friend. The only issue left was of whether or not Nahuel and his sisters posed any sort of threat to exposing our world with their unpredictable physical differences.

"We've spoken with Nahuel's aunt, Huilen." Alice explained. "She said he had complete control as an infant and wasn't at all like the immortal children you remember from years ago. Those children were changed by being bitten. Nahuel and his sisters were born the way they are."

"I still find it hard to believe." Caius mumbled.

"What other proof do you need?" I replied almost exasperatedly. I was growing tired of how long this trial was lasting. Maybe it was because I hadn't fed in a while. I gestured over to Nahuel, who was forced to stand in the corner between Jane and Felix. "He was conceived and carried by a human woman and, within a matter of seven years or so after his birth, he reached full maturity and has maintained immortality ever since. The same goes to his sisters. They are not dangerous to us, and they are not a threat to our exposure-"

"His father was one of us!" Caius intervened. "A soulless monster that fed on blood, a _vampire_. Never has there been any among us that could have such control over his hunger or strength."

"You are wrong!" I snarled. Alice put a hand on my shoulder. Whether it was to comfort me or hold me back, I wasn't sure.

Caius abruptly stood from his throne, outraged. "How _dare_ you question against-?" Before he finished, Aro silenced him.

"Peace brother." he began. "Edward does have a point. Think of his father, Carlisle, and his ability to resist. It may very well be possible…"

Caius scowled in my direction and sat back down beside Marcus, whose mind was somewhere else.

"But still," Aro went on. "Perhaps it would be better if I could see your side of the story for myself…?" He glided over to me and reached his hand out. I was dreading this part. Aro's gift was similar to mine, except he could hear every thought a person ever had and only through touch. He knew about my profound hate towards him; I was one amongst maybe a handful of people who was aware of what he was really like- sinister, uncompassionate, and as power hungry as he was blood thirsty.

The second our hands touched he saw the proof he needed to spare the lives of Nahuel and his sisters along with every other thought that led up to my current reevaluation of him. He smiled amusedly at me and lightly shook his head.

"Such displaced hostility," he murmured. "What will it take for me to prove to you that my intentions are just for the well being of our kind, Edward?" I remained silent and watched as all of my previous thoughts replayed through his mind. I saw Aro's eyes brighten with interest and recognition when he came across the short vision I'd picked up from Alice earlier.

_I know that tangled mess of brown hair anywhere. _I heard him whisper somewhere in the back of his mind. His smile grew wider when he finally let go.

"I will prove to you that I can be merciful, dear one. Not only will I let your friend go free, but I will also give you a little piece of my mind in exchange for showing me yours." The room became more quiet than usual, and Aro's thoughts opened up to reveal something more remarkable than when my family had met Nahuel.

**Sorry, about changing things around a little bit… When I looked over it again, I figured the chapter was much too short. Also, I'm glad to see a few of you guys have added my story to story alerts. But what I really want is reviews. Like I said, I'd like at least fifteen of them if you'd like for me to post the next chapter- which, as a little FYI, is much longer and where the romantic atmosphere starts to kick in). I still got my other fan-fic to work on, so I can always busy myself with that 'til I get enough comments on this one. Really, it can be a three word response- I don't care. As long as y'all give me **_**something**_**… **


	3. Chapter 2

**Oh. My. Gawd! Thanks guys for all the reviews, especially Kathy Henry. I owe ya one. Anyway, I know I promised in the last chapter that this would be the more romantic chapter, but my cousins have been over all week and I only had the time to finish up this much- sorry. If you think it's too little, or you want me to add Edward and Bella's meeting to this chapter (as I'd originally promised) just leave a comment. However, if I do add more, just realize it'll take me a bit longer. My cousins have been pulling me out of the house to do something nearly every single day, and it's my job to keep them entertained; today we're going to a water park… Anyway, hope you enjoy this new chapter. And again, THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS! :D**

**Aro's Flashback**

There was a young couple with their baby. They were in their car and the mother was talking in hushed tones to the father, so not to wake the small child cradled in her arms. She was holding something else in her lap- some legal documents, supposedly… There was a slight melancholy tone in the woman's voice and a blank, yet somehow tired, expression on the man's face as he drove. Then, the quiet scene suddenly turned into a moment of dark surprise when a shadowy figure was thrown directly in the car's path. Now looking fully awake and alert, the human driving slammed on the breaks, and the vehicle screeches to almost an abrupt stop.

The shock was clear on both the parents' faces, but the child remained asleep- undisturbed by the previous noise. The woman looked to be frozen; the father, however, stepped out of the car and cautiously approached the strange figure that lied in a crumpled heap a few feet away. As he closed in on the creature and reached down to see if he could offer some assistance, the thing stirred and not even a minute passed before the man was attacked and drained by the monster. The mother watched on helplessly and in complete horror. She tried hardest to stifle her screams, in hopes not to make her presence known, but the creature still heard her rapidly beating heart. He turned from his kill, ready to pounce, but then the Volturi guard stepped in to finish him off.

The frightened woman was nearly in hysterics. She clutched her baby protectively close to her. Then, before she realized it, the passenger door was ripped open and she got all but yanked out of the vehicle. A bulky, menacing man stared her down with deep crimson eyes and a frighteningly seductive smile. Felix.

"Please," the woman begged. "You can have anything- _anything_ I have. Just don't hurt me or my daughter." She struggled to break free, but there was no use trying to escape the rather large vampire's iron grip.

"As tempting as that may be, I'm afraid you've already seen too much. Besides, we've no interest in any human's possessions…" Felix answered smugly. Just then, Jane appeared and snatched the sleeping child away from the woman's arms.

"No! No, please!" she shouted, reaching for her baby with her free hand. Felix grabbed it and restrained both hands behind her back. Before the moment could progress any further, Aro finally appeared- having watched the whole scene, since he'd thrown his most recent target onto the highway, in front of the car… The target had been one of his 'old friends,' which was the main reason he'd actually decided to join his guard on this particular patrol.

"Children, children," he halted them. Felix and Jane automatically turned to Aro as he approached with Alec. He stepped between the two and their captives; Alec stood next to him, acting uninterested, as he watched the Volturi's latest victim burn in a fiery death.

"Now, don't give the poor young woman any more reason to be frightened than she already is. Let us try to show a little mercy. After all, she did not plan to witness this." Aro then faced the woman and smiled politely at her. "So, dearest, why don't you tell me your name?"

"R-Renee," she stuttered. "Renee Swan." Her voice was dry and hoarse from fright- and probably exhaustion, as well. It appeared she was trying to swallow, but apparently she was too mesmerized by Aro's random kindness and his milky, red eyes.

"Renee," he repeated softly. "I'm terribly sorry for these most unfortunate circumstances. Especially since your recently lost loved one was probably no doubt your husband, yes?" He gestured to the drained corpse lying next to the bonfire.

"Charlie," the woman called Renee murmured in mourn and… guilt, maybe? Aro seemed to notice her tone, as he looked at her curiously. Surprisingly, she answered. "We had just arranged a divorce. He- he was driving me and our daughter to the next flight to Phoenix, Arizona."

That would explain the legal documents that were in her lap earlier; they were likely copies of divorce papers.

"Well, my _deepest_ apologies, then, Miss Swan." Aro tried to act as sympathetic as possible. Then, he was brought to attention from the little bundle in Jane's arms; the child had begun to stir and elicited a small, cooing sound- like that of a tiny dove. Apparently, the infant noticed Mother was no longer near and started to squirm, making high-pitched little whimpers. Jane rolled her eyes in annoyance, and Aro looked back at Renee.

"May I?" he asked. Renee slowly nodded, unsure- yet knowing she probably didn't have much choice in the matter. Aro took the baby in his arms and the infant's feeble struggles came to a stop. The child looked back up at him curiously, just as mesmerized by his milky red eyes. All the while, Aro studied her big brown irises as well… and finds _nothing_. This was, indeed, a first. Even a newborn human had thoughts, but Aro could not read anything from this young one through his touch. Never had he come across anything so promising- not even since he'd found Jane and Alec. Though, for now, he hid his enthusiasm.

"And who might this charming little angel be?" he asked almost admiringly.

"Bella," Renee answered proudly. "Isabella Marie Swan."

"Bella…" Aro repeated. "Well, the name certainly suits her. A most precious and beautiful sight, indeed- and so much like you. You ought to be very proud."

"Really, sir," Renee began to beg once again. "I'll do anything; but please don't hurt my little Bella." Tears were rolling down her face now.

"'_Anything_', you say?" Aro mused as he continued to stare down at the baby, Isabella. "Would you be willing to trade your life, Miss Swan, to spare your daughter's?"

"Yes," she answered immediately. "In a heartbeat!"

Aro nodded, looking down at Bella for another long moment. Finally, he turned his gaze back to Renee. "You have a very devoted heart, Renee." he replied. "Despite the ways of my kind, I respect that. Therefore, your daughter shall live." Aro placed a hand on her shoulder, his long fingers positioned just behind her neck. "Once again, I'm terribly sorry for the circumstances." Then, he adjusted his fingers to cause a jolt reaction in her neck, causing Renee to faint. Felix readjusted his grip on the unconscious woman.

"Alec, Felix, take care of all this, please." Aro said as he walked away, indicating to the car, the fire, and Renee along with her dead ex-husband. "Make sure it looks like both she and the other human were killed in a car accident. Also, gather any evidence of the child from the car and bring it all back to me when you are through."

All three, including Jane, looked back at Aro with confused expressions.

"Do as I command, now, and I shall explain later." At that, Aro continued to walk away with Bella. Jane followed behind him.

"Master," Jane urged. "What are you actually considering of the child?" With their vampire speed, they'd made it halfway through the nearby forest by now. Aro stopped and turned to Jane, holding the baby up in front of her.

"Tell me, Jane dearest; does your powers have any effect on this… Bella?"

Jane tested this theory and, just as Aro had predicted, her attempts did not cause any reaction from the baby. The Volturi's feared executioner stared in disbelief and outrage at the squeaky little flesh toy, and Aro chuckled.

"Unnerving, isn't it? So strange for a human of such an immature state… strange for a human at all, really!"

"But what does this mean?" Jane murmured, more to herself.

"I am not certain. We will have to see, I suppose, when she becomes one of us."

Jane's eyes widened as she stared at Aro in disbelief. "Master, an immortal child!"

"Of course not, my dear," Aro answered. "We shall raise her until come of age, and then we change her."

"But Master, letting humans fall witness to vampires is against all that our kind is."

"I know Jane. Bella shall be raised deep within the towers of our Volterra, where she will never come in contact with other humans."

**Like it, love it, hate it? Please let me know!**


	4. Chapter 3

**You guys are great! I really enjoyed y'all's reviews- some of them regarding Aro and Jane, others about Charlie and Renee… Yeah, I hated getting rid of those two as well. But it had to be done to add the right amount of edge to the plot. And don't worry; Bella will soon have Edward and a whole new family… **

**Right, so… on with it!**

**First Meeting**

EPOV-

"Now, you see," Aro grinned. "I am not as heartless as you believe me to be, Edward."

I said nothing at first. I didn't want to believe what he'd shown me. I always knew Aro had a sick mind, but this… There were no words. To say I was disgusted was a very kind term. I felt sorry for the girl, Bella. She was taken from her parents, who were both murdered by monsters. And these same monsters had held her captive all this time, only to eventually turn her into one of them- just so Aro could add another talented immortal to his _collection_.

"How long has she been here?" I asked quietly, trying to contain my outrage.

Aro's grin grew wider, Cheshire-like. "Why, she has just reached the ripe age of sixteen as of a few weeks ago."

My fists clenched hard enough for my nails to dig into my stone hard flesh. _Sixteen years_- for sixteen years, the little human girl had been held hostage within these cold, gloomy towers. God forbid that she might have seen things around here no human- saint or sinner- should ever see…

"Well, we would certainly like to meet her." Alice's voice broke through my rage induced haze. Apparently, she knew exactly what we were talking about, and I briefly wondered just how much of this girl she'd seen in her visions.

"Maybe some other time," Aro replied. "For now, I'd like to invite you to stay the night here. It's the least I can do for dragging all of you into this big misunderstanding." He looked towards the corner, where Nahuel was still standing silently between Jane and Felix.

Nahuel didn't seem to be attentive to our conversation. Though, in his mind, he was contemplating where he would go with his sisters and his Aunt Huilen after he was set free from this place. He wanted to go to a secluded location far, far away, where people like Aro and the Volturi would never find him or his family. I could not blame him for such thoughts, even though hiding from the Volturi would be impossible as long as their tracker, Demetri, was a member...

"Nahuel," Aro called. Our quiet friend reluctantly shifted his gaze to the Volturi leader. "Would you care to stay as well? Or, if not, you are welcome to remain here for the feeding; our scout, Heidi, should be here any moment with enough sustenance to quench all of our thirsts."

Nahuel considered the idea for a moment. He certainly didn't want to stay another night down here, though he had yet to feed for quite a while now. Then, he contemplated what Aro had said- about Heidi and her fishing party that was on the way- and internally winced a little. As a person who somewhat settled himself on the typical vampire diet, he'd developed a steady conscience of draining a human being: never any children, mostly men and women of older age and without any little ones to look after… He had his standards, and a group feeding- he felt- was against those standards. At that, he lightly bowed his head to Aro and politely declined.

"Go in peace, then, young Nahuel." Aro replied. "You are free to leave whenever you please."

Nahuel briefly turned to me and Alice with the faintest smile on his face, still feeling uncomfortable amongst the guard, but trying to subtly show his gratitude to us.

_Thank you_, he said softly in his mind. I nodded at him respectfully and he did the same, to me and Alice. And then, he left the room in a flash, ready to reunite with his family. I was anxious to do the same, but Alice's thoughts interrupted mine.

_We're not leaving yet._ I glanced at her warily. She was standing perfectly still beside me, but it looked as though she was ready to bounce off the walls. A tiny smirk was beginning to protrude her collected expression. It didn't take a mind reader like me to know she was up to something; and if she was willing to stay _here_, of all places, it had to be something immense.

…

"This is about _her_, isn't it?" I accused. We were safely out of hearing range in one of the Volturi's guest rooms somewhere in the east wing.

Alice rolled her eyes as she watched me pace, while she sat on the ridiculously large four-poster bed; with deep red satin linens. Of course.

"Trust me, Edward. You'll _really_ thank me for this, one day."

"One day out of all eternity seems to be a bit farfetched for a grand and glorious thank you, especially if you're expecting one with this kind of atmosphere." I seethed, gesturing around the room.

"Oh, stop whining like a little boy and be a bit spontaneous for once in your existence. It won't kill you." The smirk she'd been trying to control earlier came back- more defined, since Aro and the guard were no longer around to question it. "In fact, it will do quite the opposite…"

I looked at her incredulously, but she didn't notice. Her mind was somewhere else, plotting, and making sure my ability couldn't pick up on what it was. Then, just like that, she was back and looking at me with a determined expression, talking in a manner of authority: "Yes, this is about '_her_.' And I didn't say you would thank me here, but you _will_ thank me one day. And up until that day, you will not mess up my plans for this, Edward Anthony Masen Cullen. Do you understand?"

"Plans, for _what_, Alice?" I asked exasperatedly. She just smiled and raised an eyebrow at me, reciting the Spanish poem _La Cansion del Pirata_ over and overin her mind.

Growing tired of her cryptic talk I headed out of the room, with no idea of where I was going, but too frustrated to really care. I just needed a moment to clear my head. As I walked down the long corridors, I eventually came to terms that I should have more trust in Alice. After all, her visions had never done us wrong before- not me or the rest of the family. And besides, we came here to save our friend, and we succeeded in that too; so what was I so worked up about? Nothing, absolutely noth-…

That was when I heard it.

"_In every heart there is a room,_

_A sanctuary safe and strong,_

_To heal the wounds from lovers' past_

_Until a new one comes along."_

The voice was so soft, yet so crystal clear; sweet, but with a hint of sorrow beneath the surface. The sound was no less than that of an angel. I followed the young, seraph-like voice and ended up in front of the large double doors that led to the towers of the west wing. I'd seen it in Aro's mind earlier. This was where she was kept. I tried convincing myself not to go any further. No one was allowed past this point unless permitted by Aro, himself. Why should I even consider going any further? This girl was none of my business. She wasn't mine; she was Aro's… Great, now I sounded like him. At that thought, I cursed under my breath and bolted past the doors, continuing to follow the beautiful singing.

"_And every time I've held a rose,_

_It seems I only felt the thorns_

_And so it goes, and so it goes_

_And so will you soon, I suppose…"_

I reached the door to where her voice came from. Slowly, even for a human, I reached forward and cautiously turned the knob. As I entered the room, I realized it was empty. It was just a sitting area with a few book shelves, a baby grand piano, a fireplace that looked like it had not been used in years, and a rather large mirror that hung above it. She was nowhere to be seen, and yet I knew she was in here. Her singing was so incredibly close.

"… _So I will share this room with you,_

_And you can have this heart to brake."_

Then, she began humming. Without thinking, I silently darted across the room to the piano and began to play along with the soft melody. I heard a gasp and the glorious sound came to an abrupt halt, leaving only the sound of the keys as my fingers continued to dance along. Though, its fine tune was dull without that mysterious feminine voice.

"Don't stop," I pleaded quietly. "Please, keep going." I'm not sure why I expected her to obey a total stranger, but surprisingly she did.

"_And this is why my eyes are closed._

_It's just as well for all I've seen,_

_And so it goes, and so it goes_

_And you're the only one who knows."_

The tone was innocent, pure- and it was gradually pulling me deeper and deeper under its entrancing spell. Billy Joel's work never sounded more enticing, especially considering I never thought much of it when it first came out…

"_So I would chose to be with you-_

_That's if the choice were mine to make,_

_But you can make decisions too,_

_And you can have this heart to brake."_

She started to hum again, and I officially became lost. My hands moved at their own accord across the piano keys, as I closed my eyes and relished the sweet sound.

"_And so it goes, and so it goes_

_And you're the only one… who knows."_

My fingers followed her as they trailed up the keys, and the song drifted to a close. Both of us were silent for a moment. I wasn't sure how _she_ felt, but it was a comfortable kind of silence. I remained frozen on the stool, eyes closed, letting the song that just finished linger in my head. I was only half aware that she spoke to me for the first time.

"Is it you?"

"Yes," I answered absentmindedly. It wasn't until a brief second later that I realized I had no idea what I was saying yes to. At the same moment, I heard a heartbeat pick up.

"No- I mean… Er-who were you expecting?" I asked, looking around for the owner of that rapidly beating heart.

"Are you not the one who was sent to… well… change me?" Her timid, young voice replied.

My eyes widened at her comment. "Oh, no! God, no! It's just, I heard you singing and recognized the song, so I couldn't help but follow the sound… Did you say 'sent to change you'?"

"Yes; I had been told that when I come of age, he will send a person most appropriate to change and train me, to be one of them."

Aro…

I closed my eyes for a second, to compose myself, pinching the bridge of my nose. "That seems unfair." It was all I could say at the moment, without showing my outrage.

"Haven't you heard? Life isn't fair." she said solemnly.

This conversation wasn't going in a very good direction, so I attempted to change the subject. "Where are you, exactly? It's a little difficult to have discussion when I can't see you."

"True," she said. "But I can see _you_."

I shot up from the stool and looked around. She giggled; it was the sweetest sound I'd ever heard- just as beautiful as her singing.

"From where?" I asked.

"The mirror." she answered simply.

"The mirror?" I looked at my reflection that hovered above the fire place.

"It's a one way glass." she explained. "I stand on one side, where I can see you; you stand on the other, where you can only see your reflection and I can remain hidden."

I stood at the center of the room, now, looking at the mirror.

"Is anyone allowed to see you?"

"Only the three masters and my instructors." she sighed.

"Instructors?" I raised a brow. "So you've been home schooled…?"

"Well, I'm not sure _home _schooled would be the proper term, but yes. I've already learned all the necessary subjects. Now I just like to pass the time by studying the Arts."

"So I've noticed." I smirked. "You really do have a sensational voice."

"Thank you." she said. "I just realized I never caught your name."

I smiled and politely bowed. "Edward Anthony Masen Cullen…"

I heard her laugh again and smiled wider. Why was I feeling this way about a girl I hardly knew?

"Isabella Marie Swan," she introduced herself. "But you can call me Bella. Oh, and just for the record, I _am_ responding to your bow with a curtsy- you just can't see it."

I chuckled at that.

"So tell me, Edward;" Bella began. "What brings you here to Volterra?"

"Just visiting," I answered. "A friend of my family got in a bit of a misunderstanding with the Volturi guard." I briefly wondered how much she knew about the coven that supposedly 'took her in.' "My sister and I came to speak in his defense and the coven agreed to spare him from punishment and invited us to stay as their guests for a little while… apparently, a way to repay us for the misunderstanding."

"I see… Wait, your _family_?" She sounded confused.

"Yes; is there a problem?"

"No, no of course not- but… you said family."

"What about it?"

"Aren't you a vampire? I thought vampires didn't have families, just covens."

I smiled again. "Usually, that would be true. However, my '_coven_' is somewhat different from all the others."

"How so?" Bella asked.

My smile turned into a playful smirk. I leaped from where I stood and onto the fireplace mantle at vampire speed. Luckily, it was large enough for me to sit. Though, it would seem my sudden confidence startled her.

"Oh!" she gasped. Bella must have been standing close to the glass. Then, I answered her question with one of my own.

"Have you not noticed my eyes?"

It was silent for a moment. To be honest, I wasn't perfectly used to it. Aro wasn't kidding when his thoughts displayed how Bella's mind thwarted almost all vampires' mental powers. Finally, she spoke.

"Golden brown… Nowhere near crimson. How is that possible?"

"Simple- I feed on the blood of animals." I answered matter-of-factly.

"Just animals?" she asked, astounded.

"We try…" I explain. "My family and I- there are seven of us, total- we all only hunt animals and learn to control our thirst. None of us have fallen off the wagon for quite a while… We like to call ourselves vegetarian vampires. The only downfall to our chosen lifestyle is that our diet is similar to a human living on tofu or soy milk; it keeps you strong, but you're never fully satisfied."

I waited for her to say something, not sure how she would react.

"That's… different." she finally replied. "But in a good way."

_And so it began…_

**Whew! Sorry it took me longer to post this, you guys. My internet access has been down for the past few days, and I've also been working on a new one-shot for a contest I'm in… I've also been doing some last minute shopping for COLLEGE! I'll be a freshman this year, and the big move to campus dorms is August 14****th****! Anyway, let me know what y'all think of this chapter… **


	5. Chapter 4

**So sorry it took so long. I had to get settled in my new dorm and make sure all of my paperwork for the semester was finished. This is the longest chapter I've written. Hopefully, it'll make up for how long it took for me to post it.**

'**K, so… I think I've kept you guys waiting long enough.**

**Masquerade**

**(or)**

_**Regalami il Tuo Sogno**_

Three days… That was how long we ended up staying. The Volturi guard wasn't exactly the most ideal company. Although, the meetings I still had with Bella Swan remained to be the biggest highlight of the entire trip. It was like being on a blind date; literally. For the following few days after first meeting her, I visited the little sitting room and sat in front of the mirror where the two of us talked about all kinds of subjects- such as art, music, books… I'd come to discover that she was quite a fan of the classics. Her most favorite reads were "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte, with Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" at a close second.

"And as much as I'd prefer reading over watching television," she added. "I've wanted to see the movie version of the book since it came out."

I shook my head, smiling. "You do realize that most books are so much better than the movies based on them, don't you?"

"I've heard about that." she replied. "But I have also heard that Keira Knightly is a fairly talented actress and plays a very convincing Elizabeth."

"That was my mother's name, you know…" I commented quietly.

"Your real mom?"

I nodded, and things became quiet for a minute or two.

"Do you remember much about them- your real parents?" she eventually asked.

I shook my head. "Not really… After we're changed, our human memories begin to fade away until we can barely recall anything from our past lives. However, I do remember being told that I looked like my father, Edward Sr., in the face. I don't remember exactly what my mother, Elizabeth, looked like- but I do know she was beautiful; I can't really explain it any further," I shrugged. "I just know she was."

"Well, if you're truly anything like your parents, I'm sure they were wonderful people."

I swallowed. If only she knew just what kind of monster I really was on the inside. I didn't deserve such trust, such praise…

"Thank you," I murmured softly.

On my way back from what had become one of my daily visits to the west wing, I didn't expect that anyone was nearby. I was so focused on my recent interactions with the mysterious woman behind the mirror. So I was a little thrown back when I nearly bumped into Jane after turning a corner toward my guest room.

She gave me a heated scowl, and then straightened her dark uniformed frock. "Master has requested that you attend tonight's grand ball in honor of St. Marcus' Day, since you and your… _sister_-" she spat out that last noun, "have chosen to stay longer." _Though I can't imagine why,_ she added sourly in her mind.

I bit back what would've been a very smug and amused grin. Jane had always been jealous of Aro's extreme interest in me and Alice. "I will think about it. Thank you, Jane." I replied politely.

She made what sounded like an annoyed grunt and walked away. Before turning the corner, however, she briefly looked back and said: "By the way, Alice has asked for you. She's waiting in your room."

…

"There is no way." I argued.

Alice just kept smiling, holding up the offending garments in front of me. Not that she ever had bad taste in clothing; it was mainly her most recent idea that I found to be fairly questionable.

"Trust me, Edward. You'll really-"

"I know- I'll really thank you for this one day."

"Seriously, dear brother," she mocked innocently. "Have I ever done you wrong before?"

I turned to her. "Alice, I realize you may not see any problem with this right now. But what if someone makes a last-minute decision later? What if this doesn't work? What if it somehow puts all of us in danger?"

Alice stopped my ranting, placing one of her pale, manicured fingers on my lips.

"Edward," she said sternly. "You are dressing for this ball. And you're going to use the secret passage way I found earlier today, and then you're going to finally meet your _mysterious maiden in the mirror_." She wriggled her eyebrows- something our brother, Emmett, would normally do.

"Well, I can't simply wander my way to wherever she is, unannounced."

"Maybe not…" my sister mused, with a mischievous grin. "Unless someone snuck a letter to Bella Swan from Edward Cullen into the human girl's dinner plate," she looked at the clock above the dresser, "which should reach her about right now."

"Alice! What have you done?"

"A huge favor," she answered matter-of-factly. "And I'm not just talking about setting up the secret date. Do you know how hard it is to find the perfect masquerade outfit at such short notice?"

I wanted argue once more that this wasn't a good idea- that I was already risking a lot, for me and for Bella, by having secret meetings with her. I wanted to cancel the rendezvous that Alice had set us up for- to say that I wasn't ready to meet Isabella Swan, face to face. But I couldn't… because I'd be lying to myself.

…

I stood there, staring down at the festivities below. I was a little unnerved and disgusted that the Volturi was willing to have their masked ball in- of all places- the _feeding room_. I watched as they all glided, dancing around the room amongst the humans. Everyone was dressed in intricate medieval and/or Renaissance formal wear. If Carlisle were here he'd probably feel a little nostalgic, considering how the theme came from the period of time in which he grew up.

The place where I stood was a concealed, hidden balcony that was high above the thrones where Aro and his brothers sat. It was actually a rather large room with a small, but appropriate sized dance floor, framed by a wide semicircle of small sets of stairs. The steps suspended to the other portion of the room, which was very much like the sitting room I'd gone to, to meet with Bella… Except this room also included a dining table that had a few plates of finger foods- courtesy of Alice, who snuck back up here to set everything up just as she'd foreseen it. And in each corner was a set of speakers that picked up on the music being played at the ball. The most interesting part about this balcony was that it was really hidden behind a big one-way glass wall, just like the mirror in Bella's sitting room.

After a few more minutes of watching the band and orchestra play, while the humans and vampires engaged in meaningless muffled chatter, my ears finally picked up a heartbeat and shuffling of fabric. It was coming from behind me, and I decided to brace myself and take a deep breath. I wanted to make sure I was in control of my bloodlust before I officially met her; even though I had a quick hunt earlier, I was going to take whatever precautions I could. When I inhaled I could already smell a most enticing scent- that if I had not hunted beforehand, I probably wouldn't have been able to control myself at all. It was a sweet floral scent, like… maybe lavender- or freesia…?

Someone lightly cleared her throat, and I made sure to hold my breath. Then, I turned and almost lost that breath completely.

She was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. She looked to be a bit taller than Alice, and she had the same petite, curvy figure- but a little more slender. Her skin was pale, like mine, and looked so smooth; it reminded me of a China doll. Her hair was pulled back in a small bun just behind her head with a good portion of it trailing down a little past her shoulder blades in lengthy curls. Though, some of it was hidden by a small set of white feathered wings. Still, I knew it had to reach down to her waist when not pulled up, like it was. Her hair seemed to match her eyes- a gorgeous chocolate brown. Even behind the swan shaped mask that hid half of her face, I could see the curiosity that lied beneath her long eyelashes. They fluttered like a moth's wing, barely touching her rosy red cheeks. Her lips were of the same shade; the bottom lip was just slightly bigger than the upper, which gave her a bit of a pouty look. I found it adorable. Everything about her was adorable- from the tiny widow's peak on her forehead to the tip of her tinier feet that were peaking out of her big, long, off shoulder white dress. She was absolutely perfect- an angel.

She stared at me with those expressive eyes, and I stared right back. I think my awed gaze might have given her the wrong impression, though; for her eyes drifted down to the floor and she shuffled her feet awkwardly.

"Is… is this too much? If it is, I can change-" She was beginning to turn away.

_No, don't leave_, I shouted in my head. Before she could finish her sentence, I flashed across the room and caught her arm.

"No, you're fine." I answered, probably a bit too quickly. "In fact, you couldn't be more beautiful. I can see now why you were given the name Bella."

She blushed, adding a darker tint to her rosy cheeks. Her flesh looked so warm, then; I was very tempted to reach out and touch it. That was when I noticed my hand was still lightly wrapped around her wrist. Upon this realization, I felt a sudden surge rush through my body. It was like my nerves had become live-wires, and there was a faint fluttering feeling in my chest that was so foreign, yet somehow familiar. I might have known such a feeling in my past life…

"You don't look so bad yourself." she muttered shyly. She sounded slightly distracted as well.

I briefly took in what I was wearing. It was a thick, velvety black frock with gold trim, something younger royals of the earlier centuries would wear. Beneath it was a more casual- erm- 'puffy shirt,' as Alice had called it, which was made to look dressier with ruffles added to the collar. It felt like being in a really thin fabric sweater to me. The rest of the outfit consisted of dark hunter's trousers and boots, along with a gold painted crossbow that was strapped to the back and a gold mask that covered one side of my face.

"Thank you," I replied. When I first saw myself in this costume, I felt ridiculous. Though, now I could see why Alice had picked it for me. What with Bella _Swan's_ bird like get-up, it was obvious she was trying to portray the Swan Princess. My sister just decided to add the little cliché of making me the Hunting Prince from the old tale. Thinking of Alice and her schemes made me remember something; I reached into a small pocket inside my dress coat and pulled out a silvery palm sized box. Bella looked at the object, and then back at me questionably.

"I bought you something." I smiled sheepishly and handed the present to her. She opened it and her big doe eyes grew wide.

"Edward…" she said, nearly breathless. "It's beautiful." It was a vine-like, floral necklace made of small leaf shaped copper that was hand-painted a light green with white freshwater pearls. Michael Michaud, the guy who designed it, was well known for his unique 'natural' looking jewelry… Unique and natural, just like Bella.

"It's supposed to resemble a plant called Irish thorn, or white thorn in some cases." I explained. "My sister, Alice, helped me pick it out because of the superstition behind it. In Ireland, as well as a few other countries, the plant was used to ward off witches and vampires." I grinned.

I expected Bella to laugh or do something of that sort. Instead she surprised me by looking up from the necklace and into my eyes, with an emotion so profound that I couldn't really decipher.

"Why would I want to keep you away?" she murmured quietly.

My joy at finally being near her momentarily disappeared, and I was greeted once again by the harsh reality of being a soulless immortal. I was silent for a minute or two before finally answering: "I may not seem as cruel as the Volturi can be," I saw her wince at the mentioning of the name. Good; she knew, then… "But I'm still just as dangerous." I swallowed. "I'm still a monster."

Even I could sense the sorrow seeping through my voice. The costumes we wore gave a perfect demonstration, too. The hunter and the swan… predator and prey… the lion and the lamb. Either way, the two simply didn't match. But we fit. Somehow we did, like two pieces from different puzzles that miraculously came together. I already cared deeply for this fragile little human, but it was a lost cause. Bella was far too breakable, too pure to spend the rest of her days with someone- some_thing_ like me. What could a monster like me possibly have to offer a fallen angel on earth like her?

"You're wrong." I heard her state softly, but firmly. I could only wish she were right. Both of us remained silent for another couple of minutes, not breaking eye contact.

Bella looked back down at her gift, and then smiled warmly at me. "Do I have to put this on, myself?" She batted her long eyelashes exaggeratingly.

I chuckled, and her blush returned- interesting. Without a word, I pulled the necklace out of the box she was still holding and gestured her to turn around. She obeyed and lifted her long brown hair out of the way. As I adjusted the clasp around her neck, I couldn't help but subtly lean in closer to inhale the scent of her thick wavy locks; I had used up what breath I'd saved just before meeting her. Yes, definitely lavender and freesia- though I could also smell a hint of strawberry shampoo. Still, it was mouthwatering, truly mouthwatering.

When I finished with the clasp, I decided to try something and lightly rested my hands on her shoulders. She didn't expect that and her body froze under my touch. I watched as her blush actually spread down her neck, and listened as her heart began to pick up speed. I smiled amusedly at the way I affected her and bit back a laugh, as she had not moved her arms from holding up her hair. I let my fingertips trail up her arms, brushing against her smooth skin, and she shivered. When my hands reached the crease of her elbows, I gently pushed down so the arms would fall to her sides. Once they did, I continued my venture from her elbows to her wrists, and then slowly twirled her around to face me. Her lips were parted slightly, out of nervousness and uncertainty. I then let go of one hand and continued to hold the other as I took a step closer to her. Bella's breathing became a little louder, while I leaned in closer and closer… and then I finally kissed her hand. I was quite proud of myself for having such control.

"Wow," she chuckled in relief. "And some say chivalry is dead…"

I smirked and shrugged. "It wasn't when I was human."

Her expression turned thoughtful. I waited for her to speak, but she seemed hesitant.

"What is it?" I asked, eager to know what was going on in that pretty little head.

"It's nothing, really." she waved it off.

"Please, Bella," I tried making my voice as tender as possible, while looking deep into her eyes, coaxing her with my crooked smile. "I can't read your mind like I can with others." I reminded her. "You have to tell me what you're thinking."

Her eyes became transfixed in my gaze, and I knew I had her then. This kind of interrogation was fun. The blush returned once more, and somehow she found the will to look away.

"You're doing it again." she said bashfully.

"Doing what?"

"Dazzling me." she answered.

I dazzled her? That was good- right?

… Yes. Yes, it was.

"I just want to know what you're thinking." I insisted.

"Well, I was wondering when it happened… when you were changed." She looked away from me. "Of course you don't have to answer if you don't want to. I do not mean to be rude, or pushy, or-"

I stopped her, placing a finger on her lips, and I felt a stronger surge shoot through me from the touch. I moved my hand beneath her chin and turned her face towards me.

"Don't ever be afraid to ask me anything." I assured her. "I was born in 1901 and nearly died of Spanish influenza when I was seventeen. It was at a hospital in Chicago, during the year of 1918, where Carlisle- the leader of my coven- found me and changed me."

"Was he a doctor there?" Bella asked; I'd told her a few things about my family before, including Carlisle's profession.

"At the time, yes. Carlisle had been moving from place to place, searching."

"For what?"

"He spent a great deal of years on his own. Eventually, he longed for a companion to share his lifestyle with. He ended up coming across me while working in Chicago."

Bella nodded in understanding, and then came up with another question. "Well, if he was looking for a companion for that long, how did he end up choosing you?"

A good question…

"Because that's just Carlisle; he wouldn't do such a thing to anyone who had a choice. In my case, both of my parents had already passed from suffering the same disease and I wasn't too far away myself. What really convinced him to choose me was when my mother made him promise not to let me die, no matter what. It was her final wish… Somehow she knew Carlisle had the ability to heal me completely- to save me from death."

"And he did." Bella finished. We made our way to the sitting spot on the other side of the room. Being a gentleman, I waited for her to sit down on the sofa before joining her, keeping a safe distance between us.

I nodded in confirmation. "First with me, then with his wife, Esme." I paused. "She'd fallen off a cliff when we found her."

Bella's eyes turned glassy, full of sympathy. "That's so terrible."

"Not completely." I smiled. "As far as I know, the two of them were meant for each other. They soon became the parental figures of the group. What with Carlisle's compassion and Esme's devoted love, it's hard not to grow attached to them. He's the rock that keeps our family grounded and she's the glue that holds all of us together."

"You're very lucky, you know?" It sounded more like a statement. And by looking at the longing in her eyes, I'd say she was feeling lonely from listening to these things- knowing she didn't have a family of her own.

I reached out and placed my hand over hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. She grinned at me thankfully.

"Tell me more… about you and your family."

I ended up telling her everything. I told her how each family member was found, what kind of talents some of us had; I told her of when I went on a rebellious stage not long after joining Carlisle and fed on the blood of criminal minds, of how I decided to convert back to my animal diet and returned to my family- who welcomed me back with open arms, as if I were their prodigal son. I told her about the many adventures we had and the things we encountered- like Nahuel and even the Quileute tribe back home.

"Your family sounds very interesting." Bella concluded. "I'd like to meet them."

"I'm sure they would like that, as well." I grinned at the thought. "Especially Alice; she would be thrilled. She's actually been waiting to meet you."

Bella quirked an eyebrow. "She has?"

I laughed. "Psychic, remember?"

"Oh, right… And she's the one who's married to Jasper?"

I nodded.

"I like the story of how they met- how, after going through so much trouble, they finally found each other."

"Yes," I agreed. "Happy endings are very rare for our kind…"

"It's nice to know there _is_ such a thing as happy endings, at all." she murmured under her breath. She was looking down at her hands on her lap. She was feeling sad again. I needed to fix that.

Just then, a chorus of acoustic guitars began playing through the speakers. I had nearly forgotten about the party that was still going on below us. I stood up and took one of her hands in mine. She looked up at me curiously.

"Dance with me?" I asked.

"Um, okay…" she replied, unsure of herself. "But I should warn you, I'm really clumsy and not a very good dancer, whatsoever."

"We'll see about that." I smiled.

I gently pulled her to me as close as I dared. Then, I wrapped one hand around her waist and she put her free hand on my shoulder, as we kept our other hands linked and slightly suspended. I began to sway us in a simple back and forth motion until I was sure she was more relaxed. After a minute or two, I made things just a little more daring and gradually waltzed us around in a small circle. The acoustic instrumental played on in a soft, easy rhythm that Bella and I followed. Soon, however, it slowed to almost a complete stop and picked back up again with a new tune. It sounded more modern, contemporary. Then, I heard Bella giggle softly.

"What?" I asked.

"Luciano Ligabue," she murmured. "He's one of the more favored Italian rock stars here. I guess Aro hired him to perform in hopes to make sure the younger crowd sticks around. He's actually pretty good."

A gruff voice entered the soft melody, singing in Italian. I knew some of the language, but not a lot. So there were some words in the lyrics that I couldn't decipher. From what I could pick up, it was a love song.

"Do you understand what he's singing about?" Bella asked, as if reading my mind.

"I know in these first few verses he mentions something about having trust."

She nodded. "Yes, that's pretty much what this song is mainly about- trust between lovers…"

At that point, I heard the vocalist sing a phrase and the acoustics were suddenly joined by nearly the rest of the band. I didn't catch what the words were, though.

"What's this song called?" I asked.

Bella looked up into my eyes and answered wistfully, "_Regalami il tuo sogno_." The way it rolled off her tongue almost made me shiver. "It means something close to 'entrust me with your dream.'"

I had to admit, the piece wasn't that bad at all. In a way it was loud, but tender at the same time. I started moving with the melody as Bella remained perfectly in sync. It was not long before we were doing lifts, twirls, and several other more defined moves as we danced about the room. Bella began laughing half way through and I couldn't help but do the same; her laughing was becoming contagious to me. We chuckled loudly, like children on the playground. I could hardly remember a time when I'd felt this lighthearted. In my giddiness, I pulled Bella closer than I had her before and then dipped her way back as the song drifted to an end. Our laughter gradually died down and we began to really notice the position we were in.

We just stared at each other, frozen, not quite sure what to do next. I was fixated on how warm she felt in my arms- how her fragile figure seemed to fit there so perfectly. She appeared to be waiting for me to initiate the next move, staring up at me, unafraid and with a certain glow in her eyes that I couldn't determine. I watched the rise and fall of her chest, momentarily entranced by the smooth ethereal surface of her skin. I was sure my eyes had grown dark by then, but not from bloodlust…

I was so distracted; I swear I didn't hear anyone coming. Suddenly, the door to the room flew open and I reacted out of instinct by pulling Bella behind me and assuming a protective crouch. A territorial growl began to rise from deep in my throat, but I swallowed it back down when I realized who was standing before me. The only thought that crossed my mind then was _we've been caught_.

**BTW: Bella's outfit and Edward's frock can be found on my profile, as well as the song they danced to! If you guys want a really good picture of the whole masquerade scene, you'll look at this stuff… REVIEWS PLEASE!**


	6. Author

**Hey guys! I'm so, so, soooooooooooooo sorry for keeping y'all waiting this long. It's just that I've been busy with my college classes and am still learning how to balance my time for this. I am very eager to give the next chapter, though- only I have another dilemma of the absolute worst kind… WRITER'S BLOCK! Argh! I'm afraid I need some help.**

**So to make it up to you guys, I have decided to tell you a little hinty-hint of what the next chapter's gonna be about. That way, you could maybe send me some of your ideas of what should happen next… It starts off with Edward and Alice being summoned to a meeting with the three Volturi leaders, where their situation with Bella will be judged. Now, I haven't decided whether or not to keep Bella, Edward, and Alice in Volterra 'til the end of the next chapter- so how y'all think the three of them make it out of the 'meeting' is pretty much free reign. That's really all that I'm looking for right now: How do Bella, Edward, and Alice make it out of the meeting (and **_**possibly**_** Volterra)? Simple answers are nice, but specifics would be even better. I hope you can help me! **

**Your humble writer,**

**Elien **


	7. Chapter 5

**Right, so… Thanks, you guys, for your suggestions; and a special thank you to my new friend, Kathy Henry, for voicing those suggestions. As tempting as your ideas of a Cullen family fight scene and Edward running away with Bella were, I'm afraid that just wasn't in the cards right now, ya know? I want this story to last longer, so I'll definitely add more action in later- promise. Though, one of y'alls suggestions of Alice having a vision gave me a great idea that helped finish this chapter, so **_**muchas gracias**_**! Anyway, I realize this may not be as all of you (and Kathy) described it, but I tried to ****subtly**** fit some of your intakes into the chappie with similar descriptions… But I sincerely hope y'all like it, all the same. **

**Thanks again,**

**Elien**

**The Agreement**

Demetri.

How I loathed him… In the guard, Jane might have been the torturer and Felix the harasser, but it was Demetri who was the stalker. Being the skilled tracker that he was, no creature- mortal or immortal- could hide from him. When he'd thrust open the door, discovering me and Bella, it didn't take a genius to know that things could only get worse.

Though, I wasn't afraid for myself. No, I was afraid for Bella. I'm not sure either of us gave much thought toward the other possibilities of being discovered; it could have been Aro. After all, he'd only need a simple touch from me or Alice to know what had been happening. I suppose neither of us wanted to think about it. Now, however, it was too late- and I prayed to every deity I could think of that the Volturi would spare Bella any severe punishment; even though I knew there would be one in some form or fashion.

After finding us, Bella was ordered to return to her quarters and wait there. I hated watching her leave the room so silently with her head bowed down, all of her mirth that I'd seen and felt emit from her just a few moments ago gone. I was tempted to run to her, scoop her up in my arms, and then run out of there- out of Volterra. If only fate were so kind…

Hours later, Alice and I were asked to meet with the leaders once again in the feeding room, where the conference for Nahuel's freedom was held and were the St. Marcus' masquerade ball had just ended. When we arrived, the three of them along with the rest of the guard were waiting for us. Aro and his brothers sat on their thrones, motionless. Marcus' face remained blank, as it always was. Caius' was livid, and Aro's was refined yet quizzical. We stood before them, motionless as well, waiting for something to happen.

_Edward, I'm so sorry._ Alice mentally apologized, again. _It was a last minute decision, I swear. I know I should have listened to you, but-_ I took her hand and squeezed it, letting her know it was okay and that I didn't blame her. If anything, _I_ should have seen this coming. I mean, what was I expecting to happen- that I could actually leave this place without Aro suspecting anything, or leave without Bella for that matter? No, never. My main curiosity now was if we all made it out of this mess, where would we go from here? I'd already grown far too attached with Bella to just leave her behind. Soon, Aro would know that, too- I was sure.

Maybe that was what he'd wanted all along. Maybe he showed me what happened to Bella as a baby just to set me off, to make me more curious; maybe he knew about our meetings and was waiting for me to develop a relationship with her, in attempts to make me want to stay here. The plan definitely sounded devious enough, but I couldn't tell if it was true. Aro was keeping his thoughts in check. Just then, he spoke.

"Before we proceed, let us make sure we know both sides of the story." He rose up from where he was sitting and walked over to me. I half expected him to go to Alice, but didn't say anything. Instead, I kept an indifferent expression and held my hand out for him to take.

He took it in his grasp and smiled knowingly. So he _did_ know; he knew all along. I watched as my memories replayed through his head, from my and Bella's first encounter to our last, along with every thought I had in between. He saw the bond she and I had formed since we met, and he smiled more broadly.

"How extraordinary," he marveled. "The two of you really have gotten to know each other- haven't you, Edward?"

I just stared back at him, keeping my mouth shut.

"And the allure of her scent, it is much stronger to you than it is to the rest of us. I'm glad you were not tempted beyond your own control, though. Otherwise, we would have lost a valuable member."

Someone huffed annoyingly from the side of the room. It seemed that Jane was jealous. Again.

"Still- how much it appeals to you- it makes me thirsty." Aro swallowed lightly at his comment. "_La tua cantante_; such a rare treasure that not many of us get to come by." At that, he released my hand and stepped away.

"So we have received one side of the story," he addressed to his brothers and the guard. "Now for the other…" His eyes shifted to somewhere behind me and Alice. "Bring her in."

The sound of large double doors opening came right after Aro's command. Following that was the more familiar sound of shuffling fabric. Sure enough, Bella came into view as Demetri led her past me and Alice, holding her by the arm. She was still in her masquerade gown, though she no longer had on her mask and her hair was pulled completely down. Many of her curls remained intact, but it looked like one great beautiful mess- like her hair do was taken apart in a hurry. Part of me was delighted to see that she was still wearing the necklace I gave her, but this definitely wasn't the appropriate time to think about that.

Instead of bringing her over to Aro, Demetri brought her straight toward the thrones where Caius and Marcus were sitting. He stopped at the small set of steps and let go of Bella's arm as she kneeled down before the two other leaders. Her dress spread out around her like a large cloud of white, making her look even smaller- more fragile. I tensed when I saw Caius stand up and walk the few feet to where Bella was. She kept her head bowed to the ground as he stood in front of her. He reached down with one hand and lifted her chin, so she was looking up at him directly. I caught a good glance of her face, then; heart-shaped, beautifully defined cheek bones, a cute button nose… and the rosy blush that complimented her ethereal flesh was still there, only more subtle. Even though her big brown eyes remained guarded and her expression collected, just seeing her exquisite face- completely bare this time- nearly made my heart jump back to life.

Then, the moment of silent admiration was ruined when a loud smack echoed all around the room. I watched in horror as one side of Bella's face hit the floor while her tiny hand covered the other, where Caius had _struck_ her. I desperately wanted to run to her and took a step forward, but I was halted by Aro when he held out his arm. I knew if I didn't comply, Jane or Felix would be all over me, so I stayed where I was; though, not without eliciting a low growl in Caius' direction. Alice watched helplessly, apologizing over and over in her head for what Bella and I were enduring. If vampires could cry, I was certain tears would be rolling down her cheeks by now. I squeezed her hand once more- whether it was to calm her or myself, I wasn't entirely sure.

Caius reached down again, this time roughly gripping Bella by the hair to bring her upright. I winced when I saw that the left side of her face was already red and swelling. Considering his vampire strength, though, Caius had actually been easy on her; still, easy or not, it was wrong… very wrong. Bella's eyes were glassy, but she blinked away her tears, trying her hardest to remain strong. Caius paused for a brief second, and then leaned forward to smell her neck. _His scent is all over her_, he thought. His eyes fell on the necklace and he lifted it with his free hand to examine it more closely. He sneered at the trinket as if he was ready to spit on it and finally- _finally_- he released Bella from his grasp.

With no one bothering to stop me now, I rushed over to her side. I got down to her level and gently cupped her injured cheek in my ice cold hand to ease the sting and stop the swelling. She kept her face as blank as she could, but I could see the thankful look in her eyes when they made contact with mine. The corner of my lips twitched, giving her what I hoped was a soft assuring smile.

"We gave you protection, and yet you disobey us." Caius murmured slowly, hatefully. I could sense his temper rising. Caius wasn't a patient man at all; he saw no reason why others shouldn't respect his authority. When they didn't, they were a waste of his time- something that he absolutely hated, even though his time was practically eternity. "We gave you our roof, our knowledge, and our care. And you _still_ violate our rules." His voice grew louder with each word. Hearing him talk like this was more intimidating than when he simply shouted full blast.

I felt Bella's warm body trembling against me as she recoiled closer into my side. My hand moved from her cheek to her shoulder in attempts to stop her quivering, but she merely took the advantage to press over half of her back flush against my chest- like I was a protective shell that she could duck into. I didn't mind, though. Bella's safety was the most important thing to me now, and I was glad that she felt safe when she was with me. This, of course, did not go unnoticed by Caius.

"And _now_, you have chosen to fear us, I see. We are the ones who have kept you safe all these years, not him." he gestured to me accusingly. "We are the ones to whom you owe your pathetic mortal life! Though, you hide behind this amateur young one as if he alone is your life line! Is _he_ your protector now?" Caius then pointed at Bella. "Is that thing around your neck some kind of leash to display his ownership to you?"

I couldn't help it. I let out another low growl, bringing his attention back to me.

"As for _you_," he snarled. "What reason do you have for tampering with our property? Neither you nor your sister is one of us. You've no claim whatsoever on that." he pointed to Bella once again.

"_That_ is a human being," I hissed directly at his face. "Something we all were before entering this life, and _her_ name is Bella." I waited briefly for him or somebody else to say something. When neither did, I continued. "You may be of high authority among the rest of us, but you are not gods. You have no right to decide who's noble and whose vermin."

Caius scoffed. "I've no interest in your family's humanitarian vegan ways. Your coven is nothing but a misfit blemish of futile resistance in our immortal world- a blemish that is slowly turning from a minor inconvenience to a most annoying disturbance in my backside."

I let out a short humorless laugh. "Why? From what I see, taking the time to get off your lazy backside- instead of sending others off to do your work for you- would be a waste. Otherwise, none of us would fear you and your authority the way we _so obviously_ do." I spat out the last part sarcastically. In my more normal state, I would never talk back to someone like Caius in such a way, even though he did deserve it. I was close to putting my family at risk with the way I was lashing out right now, but I couldn't help it. I felt a strong urge to defend for Bella, to make sure she never felt afraid when she was around me…

But then, I heard Bella scream. For a split second, I couldn't understand why. Though, I soon realized it was because I was on my back now, writhing in pain. The intensity of Jane's power shot through me quicker than anything I had ever known to be mobile. The burning- it was too much like the experience of my transformation. I tried stay as still as I could and remained as silent as I could; anything to ease the panic of the girl I could hear crying next to me. Her agony hurt me much worse than what Jane was inflicting on me.

"And so many _do_ fear us…" I heard Caius add to my remark in a low, snide tone. "Those who know better and know how to fear, fear us because the stronger immortals are willing to serve _for _us under merely _our _leadership; so just where would that leave your _fearless_ family, hmm?"

"Weak… spineless…" Jane whispered from across the room, as if she were answering to Caius' question. Although, I couldn't be sure if she was just repeating some mantra toward me and Alice in order to boost her ego. A stronger wave of pain hit me and my eyes squinted shut.

"Stop!" Bella cried out, desperately. "_Please_, stop- don't hurt him! I'm the one who agreed to disobey- I'm the one who deserves all the punishment, not him." Her voice had become shaky.

I wanted to protest to what she was saying, but I knew if I opened my mouth all I'd be able to do was scream. Suddenly, the sharp shooting pain ceased. I let out a gust of breath I'd been holding to keep from screaming. When my eyes shot open there she was, hovering over me with tear stains all over her face. Immediately, I sat up and began trying to comfort her any way I could. I wiped away what tears were still left and gently ran my hands through her tangled mess of hair.

"Interesting…" Aro spoke for the first time since Bella entered the room. "You are willing to take all the blame for something like us, a vampire, a soulless monster." he mused as he walked closer towards us- towards Bella.

"Just leave her alone." I seethed through my teeth.

Aro ignored me. "Perhaps what Caius implied is true. Maybe our Isabella _has _disregarded her fear towards our authority."

I searched his head to see what he was considering. Once I realized what it was, I tensed- with yet another growl beginning to erupt from my throat. At the same time, Alice let out a short (almost unnoticeable) gasp; another vision, no doubt. However, Aro didn't seem to realize this as he sauntered closer to me and Bella. I got up on my feet, ready to assume a protective stance in front of her. Before I had the chance to do so, I was forcefully dragged to the side by Felix. His large hands pinned mine roughly behind my back.

Aro closed the remaining distance between him and Bella. He then reached down with one hand and took hold of her chin- much like Caius had done, only more gently. He slowly lifted the hand he had under Bella's chin, making her gradually rise off of her knees until she was standing before him. Aro looked her directly in the eyes, as if he would unlock the vault to her every thought by doing so. He continued to stare silently for what felt like a long time, and then he sighed.

"This is a sadness. If only there was another way to help you _fully_ grasp what it's like to be in our world… without your immortality. Maybe then you would realize how much we have given you; maybe then you would never question us again." Aro turned Bella's chin to the side, so she was looking at me. This position also revealed to him a good portion of her neck.

"However," he went on. "If this one act you have taken against us is a sign of any future ignorance, I suppose it is best…" The hand Aro had under Bella's chin lightly trailed down to where it firmly grasped her shoulder- same with his other hand, so he was holding her in place. "You will be reminded whom you belong to, Isabella, once and for all."

When he leaned down towards her neck, all I could think of at the time was _no, not her- not like this_. What was I to do, though? Felix had me restrained and even if I broke free, Jane or any of the other Volturi would be ready to stop me… or kill me. Bella seemed to know what was coming, too. I watched helplessly while her frightened eyes squeezed shut as she braced herself for the sharp feeling of Aro's teeth.

It never came.

Just as his mouth hovered less than an inch above Bella's delicate flesh, Aro was brought to attention by the sound of Alice's voice.

"Wait!" she exclaimed.

Aro didn't move from his position. His body had figuratively frozen; his mouth, still close to Bella's neck. Bella appeared to be holding her breath; her rosy cheeks, turning a faint shade of purple.

"Bella _won't_ be one of you." Alice blurted out. I briefly looked at her, wondering what the hell she was doing. She caught my glance for a split second and her thoughts whispered: _Trust me, Edward…_

My gaze shifted back to Bella and Aro. I could see the curiosity in the leader's eyes. And when I delved into his mind, I heard a raging storm of various thoughts. Along with curiosity there were a few echoes of outrage, confusion, even some paranoia. There were too many thoughts for me to pick up any actual words, but the feelings were there in the tones. Aro finally lifted his head from Bella's neck- though his long hands still held onto her shoulders- and he turned to my sister.

"I've seen it," she continued. "She will be powerful enough to get away and none of your guard will be able to stop her."

My eyes widened, as did those of just about everyone else in the room. Several of the guards hissed in response. No one had ever been powerful enough to withstand the Volturi completely alone- _no one_. Bella exhaled the breath she'd been holding, cautiously peeking one eye open, and then the other. Her big brown irises locked in on mine and we just stared at each other throughout the rest of the conversation.

"So my inferences have been correct." I heard Aro murmur. "She is _truly_ gifted."

"Then, I say we annihilate her now." Caius nearly shouted. "An immortal with that much power would be an abomination."

"But brother, think of all the possibilities…" Aro's voice held excitement and wonder.

"What I am currently thinking of is what an immortal with that kind of resilience can cause, should she ever turn against us."

"If I may add," Alice interrupted. "I never said that Bella would be _against _you- per se. All I said was that she wouldn't be one of you, part of your coven; that is only if you change her now or any time soon."

"What are you trying to say?" Caius demanded. "That we wait for _her_ to give us permission?"

"Not exactly, no…" she answered calmly, with almost a sing-song tone in her voice. "Aro did mention wanting an alternative solution- one that gave Bella a chance to see the outside world where all the other vampires live."

"Yes?" Caius urged impatiently.

"So…" Alice began, though she didn't finish. There was maybe half a beat of silence, and then I saw Aro disappear from where he stood with Bella. Alice must have offered to show him her most recent vision. Now that Bella was free, I desperately wanted to reach out and take her in my arms again.

Though, she surprised me when she walked to my side- avoiding making any contact with Felix. Her face had become blank once again, but I could also see a hint of determination in her eyes. She looked like she was thinking really hard about something and I would have given anything to be able to hear what it was.

"Mesmerizing," Aro interrupted my train of thought. "To see what you have seen before it has happened…"

"We have an agreement, then?" Alice asked politely.

"That we do, little one," he answered happily. "That we do."

'_**Aw, man! Are you kidding me- **__**another**__** cliff hanger, WTF(reak)?' **_**Heh, heh… So sorry, guys; it feels like I'm always leaving you hanging. In my defense, though, I had to cut this chapter a bit shorter 'cuz I wanted to make the next chapter that much longer. See? All of what I'm doing is for y'alls benefit, trust me. Plus, it shouldn't take me as long to finish the next chapter since I already got most of it planned out- so no worries.**

**Also, did any of you catch hints of the ideas y'all suggested to me for this chapter? I know Aro never wigged out, but I think Caius made a decent (and more believable) substitute- don't you? I even had Edward **_**consider**_** running away with Bella near the beginning… And then there was Alice's vision(s); you just witnessed the first one come true, if you remember what you read from Chapter 1. As for the other one she has in this chappie, well you'll all find out soon enough. ;)**

**So… REVIEWS! Seriously, people, they're better than all of these first few chapters ****combined**** (at least according to the kinds of comments y'all have left me thus far).**


	8. Chapter 6

** Dang, I can feel the glares already… '**_**Where were you? What happened to the it-shouldn't-take-long promise? I just about quit reading/reviewing this story because of you being a promise breaking slow poke!'**_

** I really am sorry guys. Classes have been hectic. It's like things will be calm for one week, and then the next you're swarmed with assignments, essays, and tests out the Yin-Yang. I'm here on a scholarship and if I get too distracted and my grades go bad, I'll be attending college at home… with my smelly pets… and my nosey, erratic sister… and my overly paranoid grandparents… and my mother breathing down my neck.**

**Y'all see where I'm getting at? Grades first, fan fiction later. Yeah, I probably hate that rule as much as you do. But hey, we gotta make a living for ourselves somehow, right?**

**Anyways, have at it- by all means. **

**The Twist**

_Bella,_

_ These past few days have been wonderfully pleasurable to me and it is all because of you. I realize we have not spent very much time together… Though, my sister and I are to return home soon and I have become regretful to take my leave ever since the moment I first heard your voice. The sounds of your beautiful singing and sweet laughter linger in my head like everlasting echoes. You have consumed my every thought and completely distracted me in such a way, that I must beg you to put an end to my agony; as I cannot fathom a most appropriate face that would match such a unique and angelic being- especially one who possesses qualities such as your own._

_ I do not mean to be rash or to come on strong, but I __must__ see you. The St. Marcus Masquerade Festival is to commence later tonight and will be the perfect distraction. The Volturi will be too busy tending to the rest of their 'guests' and, upon that hour, perhaps we can finally meet face to face. My sister, Alice, has recently discovered a secret passage that she believes to lead to one of your several more hidden quarters. If I may be so bold, would you mind accompanying me in the one-way glass room above where the festival is being held? I will be waiting there at ten- and in the acquired festival attire Alice has persuaded me to wear._

_ I realize this may be a big step out of bounds for you; but, Bella, I swear to you with all my being that we will make it out of here together… whether the Volturi discover us tonight or not. All I am asking is for you to take a chance- on me. A wonderful person like you does not deserve to be locked away from the world forever. Regardless of what you've been told, you __do__ have a choice Isabella Marie Swan. Will it be the Volturi, or your first taste of freedom? You don't have to decide yet, though. Let me show you what it's like to feel free later on tonight and you can decide afterwards. Please agree to join me; won't you?_

_So…? (I'll be waiting for an answer)_

_Your trusted friend,_

_Edward_

I stared at the letter, slightly dumbfounded as I read it over and over again. Alice and I were the only ones awake in the first class section of the plane. After boarding it to head home, she insisted that I wait for any explanations until we were certain no one would hear us.

"Well?" I heard her whisper next to me.

"Well… First off, I don't talk like this-" I gestured to the wording on the letter, "anymore."

Alice smirked. "Maybe so, but I couldn't help myself. It was like having a front row seat to a real life fairytale" (**I **_**love**_** that song, by the way; you know- "**_**Real Life Fairytale**_**," by Plumb… If y'all like feminine pop/rock songs about love and enchantment, I strongly suggest you guys look it up**).

I shook my head at that. "And second, how did you know Bella would remember this letter back in the feeding room, even though you weren't aware that we'd ever get caught that night during the festival?"

My sister rolled her eyes. "Edward, Edward, Edward- you should know by now that Mary Alice Brandon Whitlock/Cullen is _always_ prepared for the unexpected, including the unexpected when it comes to my gift."

"Back at Volterra, when you were showing Aro your vision, Bella looked like she was concentrating really hard on something… What I'm curious about is how she was able to think of what might happen if she agreed to be with the Volturi; or rather, how she knew to direct her thoughts toward that, so you could show Aro the future _he_ wanted to see at that exact moment." Just thinking about all of this was perplexing, even to me. There was no way Bella could have known exactly what she was doing when she thought back to that letter Alice had forged to be from me, right when Alice had offered to show her other vision to Aro. It was really a couple of visions meshed together, actually…

The first one happened right before Aro had the chance to change Bella. It showed her as a most breathtaking immortal. She was standing before Jane, Alec, Felix, _and_ Demetri. They were in some kind of forest and Bella looked impatient and- angered, maybe? Though, I didn't know why. Still, it looked like she was trying to go somewhere and the Volturi guards were in her way. There was a blinding flash of light, and then all four of the immortal world's feared inhabitants were on their backs as Bella smugly glided onward to wherever she was headed.

The next one came right when Alice was seconds away from offering her hand to Aro. It once again showed an immortal Bella, only she was in a dark robe (the uniform of a Volturi guard) and she was standing by Aro. Her face was lacking of… well, _life_. Her eyes were dark and vacant, her stance rigid and as still as a statue. This vision terrified me when Alice finally opened her mind and showed it. She knew I wouldn't react to it very well if she let me see it when we were still in the feeding room. She was most likely right about that… just remembering the vision at this very moment made me shiver in disgust. Bella would never be that way; I'd make sure of it.

Speaking of- I turned my attention to the sleeping angel beside me, occupied in the window seat. She'd drifted into unconsciousness about an hour ago, one of the last passengers on this plane to finally close their eyes. Her head had dropped onto my shoulder and I'd made sure that she was wrapped tightly in one of the complimentary cotton blankets. I had to admit, she was just as entrancing when she was asleep. Every once in a while she'd elicit a few unintelligible murmurs; one stood out, though, and I was ecstatic that it was in fact my name she was mumbling off and on. If only I could know what she was dreaming about…?

"Edward," Alice whispered harshly to retrieve my attention. "Do you want me to explain the rest or not?"

"Sorry," I replied. "Please continue."

She shook her head, not hiding a knowing smile to which I ignored. "We women can be very perceptive, even at times when we shouldn't have to be… I'm sure you've read the letter enough times to remember the last few sentences, including the final words 'So…?' and 'I'll be waiting,' have you not?"

I nodded slowly, not certain of where she was going with this.

"Well, that's what triggered my second vision."

At first, I still wasn't sure what she was talking about. Then, I thought back to the point where Alice stopped Aro from changing Bella. I thought of any words or key phrases she might have said that made Bella help 'trigger' the second vision:

"_What are you trying to say?" Caius demanded. "That we wait for _her_ to give us permission?"_

"_Not exactly, no…" she answered calmly, with almost a sing-song tone in her voice. "Aro did mention wanting an alternative solution- one that gave Bella a chance to see the outside world where all the other vampires live."_

"_Yes?" Caius urged impatiently._

"_So…" Alice began, though she didn't finish. There was maybe half a beat of silence, and then I saw Aro disappear from where he stood with Bella. Alice must have offered to show him her most recent vision._

There was a reason Alice didn't bother explaining what she'd begun to say; I thought she'd figured it would make more sense if she just showed what she saw to Aro. However, the second vision- the one that convinced Aro to let Bella leave with us- came seconds before she offered her hand to him, '_so_…'

"So…" I repeated out loud. I looked at Alice for confirmation and her smile grew wider.

What?

"Do you mean to tell me that, that one word made Bella remember the last small part of that letter- that one _syllable_ made her recall the choice that was given to her in the last paragraph?"

She shrugged. "Well, Aro's mentioning of Bella possibly getting some more experience also helped a little- but that was sheer luck. Bottom line: I'd said enough for Bella to remember her choices mentioned in the letter, which made her consider her options. When she did, I was able to show Aro the vision he wanted to see."

"But you couldn't have known that it would work; you didn't even see Demetri discovering us at the festival. How could you have possibly been prepared to-"

"I didn't necessarily prepare for anything." Alice interrupted. "I did, however, take some precautions- like what I wrote in that letter. Though, I only did that for your sake Mr. Worry Wart."

I let that sink in for a moment. My sister had made a last minute decision to add that last part of the letter, just in case, and improvised the rest of the way to make the situation work out… and without Aro being the wiser, even if he looked into her thoughts through touch. It was confusing, but still genius.

"You really didn't know if something like that would work, did you? You did it so your intentions wouldn't be discovered when Aro touched you."

She nodded. "Exactly, I did not know… but I _hoped_, which is something we both know Aro never believed in. Apparently, hope worked just enough." Alice smiled proudly over at Bella. "She's really the hero of the day and she doesn't even know it."

A sense of pride permeated my chest, fluttering softly like what humans described as "the butterflies." I looked down at Bella once more and grinned at the thought of her being a hero. To think that a fragile little human like her had unintentionally saved herself from a life of imprisonment under the Volturi… and with the help of a mere _thought_. I internally shook my head at the irony.

However, she wasn't completely free- not yet. Aro agreed to let her return with us in order to get a taste of the real world before she became immortal. His guard would be checking up on us, making sure we didn't do anything hasty. Then, when Bella's time was up she would be changed and return to Volterra. I didn't like the last part one bit, but I knew it was the only way to persuade Aro to agree. Still, I didn't want to see Bella as one of _them_. Not all of the Volturi were monsters, but most of them were; and I refused to let Bella associate with demons of the likes of them.

Alice took my hand and squeezed it, just as I did to her in Volterra. She obviously recognized the frustrated look on my face. I kept my focus on Bella, gradually calming myself as I counted her steady rhythmic breaths.

"It will be alright, Edward." she assured quietly. "We'll find a way, I promise… After all I did say you would-"

"Really thank you one day; I remember, Alice."

She winked at me, and then pulled her iPod out of the small purse she'd kept in her lap. She plugged in her ear buds and turned the music down to a low volume only vampires could hear. I nearly laughed when I heard Van Morrison's _Into the Mystic_ playing. Alice tended to have the oddest variety of taste in music. She listened to just about everything, really, and knew almost as much bands and composers as I did. _Almost_.

She laid her head back and pretended to fall asleep. I followed her example and gently rested my head on top of Bella's. I didn't think she would mind. Honestly, I merely wanted another chance to smell the sweet strawberry shampoo she put in her hair…

…

"Bella, could you please roll the window up and sit back down? I think you're worrying Edward." Alice giggled, watching the ever-curious teenager through the rearview mirror of my Volvo like I was.

This was how it'd been since our flight landed. Bella pondered, and sometimes openly gawked, over just about everything we'd come across. Whether it was the different kinds of people wandering in and out of the airport or the wildlife she saw in the trees on the side of the road as we passed. Seeing her act so awed by the world around her reminded me of a child off of one of those early nineties Disneyland commercials. I briefly wondered if she'd even heard of that theme park; did she ever want to go there as a kid?

The object of my thoughts obeyed Alice, pulling her head back in from out the window. Her hair was windblown now and she bit her lip sheepishly. "Sorry," she apologized quietly as she pressed the button that rolled up the window.

I subtly shook my head so only Alice would notice.

_I think it's cute_, she thought. _Really, imagine how you would be if you were seeing the outside world for the first time after being locked away in a tower for over sixteen years._

"Let's hope her curiosity doesn't get the best of her." I murmured real low.

"We'll be there to bail her out if it does." Alice murmured back, tapping her finger to her head.

The rest of the car ride was silent, aside what I could hear of Alice's thoughts as she planned a shopping trip to get Bella more clothes. If it wasn't for the heartbeat and even breaths coming from the back seat, I would've said that my sister and I were the only ones in the vehicle. I still wasn't quite used to not hearing Bella's thoughts. Luckily, however, I was gradually growing more desensitized from being around her scent for a long period of time. Hopefully, it would only get easier.

As we neared the turn to our house, I became a little nervous over introducing Bella to the rest of the family. I'd talked to them over the phone before leaving the airport and I knew Carlisle and Esme didn't mind having a guest in our home. Emmett was just ecstatic about having a new playmate. I wasn't nervous about Bella meeting them, but I was a tad wary when it came to Rosalie and Jasper. Rosalie was always jealous of other humans, since she never wanted the immortal life she was given, so it was highly possible she'd be ill towards Bella. Jasper on the other hand was the newest 'vegetarian' in the family and having a human around the house was definitely going to test his limits…

When we made the turn down the long dirt road, I could hear Bella's heartbeat pick up. Hmm, so it seemed she was nervous too. I was about to say something to her, but Alice beat me to the punch.

"You know you have nothing to worry about, right Bella?" she turned and smiled sweetly at the girl in question.

Bella shrugged. "It's my first time meeting anyone- other than you two- when it's not on some kind of strict business like term. All my life, I've only met vampires that were there to tutor me, train me, or watch me. The kind of events I ever came close to being treated otherwise was when I was just a little girl and served the wives."

Alice and I double-taked, our eyes wide.

"You mean you've actually seen the wives?" Alice asked, again beating me to the punch.

Bella blushed once more, like she did the night we first met. "Yes- um- I forgot not many of you get to see them, since they don't get out much…" she rubbed the back of her neck bashfully. "When I was just a baby, Aro and Caius' mates insisted on weaning and raising me until I was old enough to be schooled. Since they could never have an infant of their own, I was sort of their substitute. They never raised me like I hear a child should be raised though. When I was capable of walking and talking, the wives used me as their little servant. Occasionally they would give me a treat or a pat on the head each time I fulfilled a duty; I was more of a pet to them than anything else."

My hands clenched on the wheel as I slowed the Volvo to a stop in front of the house. None of us moved from our seats just yet. I knew we had to get some points across before Bella met the rest of our family.

"Bella, you are not a pet to any of us." I turned to her this time. "Not to me, Alice, or anyone else in this family. To us, you're a person- one who deserves to be treated as such."

"Edward's right." Alice nodded in agreement. "You're an intelligent, beautiful young woman and none of us will see you as anything less… So don't be nervous about that, okay?"

Bella smiled softly, blinking away a few tears. "I know you wouldn't think of me that way. I guess I'm just nervous that the others won't like me."

I held back my laugh. "So you're worried not because you'll be in a house full of vampires, but because you're not sure they will approve of you…?" I could see Alice biting her lip in my peripheral vision, holding back her giggles as well.

"First, I have been in a _castle _full of vampires- mind you. And second, yes, what you just said would be an accurate summation."

I merely shook my head as Alice swallowed her laughter before it could escape her mouth. "Bella you are being utterly ridiculous," she said. "They'll love you! Trust me; I don't even have to be a psychic to know _that_."

"Do you really think so?" Bella's smile grew, hope illuminating in her eyes.

This time, I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "Did you not hear what my sister said? She doesn't think, she _knows_. You have nothing to worry about."

Not two seconds after I'd said those words, Alice opened the door next to Bella and held out her hand for her to take. Bella looked at Alice's hand, and then at me with a cautious yet playful expression. Without breaking eye contact with me, she unbuckled her seat belt and took Alice's hand. She elicited a brief high pitched yelp when my sister all but yanked her out of the car and I quickly followed suit.

Once we approached the sidewalk leading to the front porch, Alice linked arms with Bella and began to take large strides toward the door. Bella giggled out of mirth at her new friend as well as out of nervousness, which she was desperately trying to hide. I grinned as I watched the two of them while walking closely behind. They looked like best friends already- sisters, even. When we reached the door it was already unlocked. I didn't miss Bella holding her breath as it opened and we crossed the threshold.

Our home certainly wasn't a castle, but it came pretty close. Half of the side walls and the entire back wall of the house were made of thick, highly resilient glass that allowed a great view of the forest behind and around us… not the one-way glass that Bella was used to, though I didn't think she would mind that too much. The bottom floor, as well as most of the second and third floor, consisted of creamy white and light silver colors. Most of the bedrooms and bathrooms were upstairs, while everything else was downstairs. At the front entrance, a grand staircase stood a few feet before us. To the right was a wide open hallway that led to a couple of guest rooms and the kitchen. On the left was a large sitting room that took up nearly the whole side of the house. Standing between the stairs and the archway to the sitting room were Carlisle and Esme. They smiled pleasantly at Bella as she bit her lip and awkwardly shuffled her feet- something I learned she was accustomed to do when she felt particularly self conscious.

"Carlisle, Esme!" Alice squealed like a happy little kindergartener. She glided over to them in a blur and wrapped her arms around both of them before turning back to me and Bella. "This is our new friend from Volterra, Isabella Swan." she introduced.

"Bella, these are our guardians, Carlisle and Esme." I finished, giving Bella a gentle nudge toward them.

She stumbled a little, and then stared at the couple for a moment, unsure of what she should do. Something seemed to click in her head and- to our surprise- she folded her hands in front of her and _bowed_. She actually lowered her head and made a low, graceful curtsy.

Bella stayed in that position as she spoke formally. "Dr. and Mrs. Cullen, it's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance."

The four of us looked at each other, not certain whether to avert this action with good humor or pity. Bella was obviously taught to respect those of authority with formality and discreteness. Carlisle had suspected something like this, whereas Esme's maternal instincts were going wild.

_Oh… poor dear,_ her thoughts whispered. She'd heard of Bella's predicament and knew that she never had the privilege of having a family, let alone the loving affections of a mother. Esme desperately wanted to reach out to her.

Before she could, however, Carlisle took Bella's chin in his hand and lifted it until she was standing upright. Bella's heart picked up twice its pace and I didn't have to read her mind to know what she was thinking. It was a reflex from the previous times her face was touched, by Aro and Caius. Her breaths grew shallow as she waited for Carlisle's next move. She nearly laughed out of relief when he took her hand and lightly shook it.

"It's a pleasure meeting you, too, Isabella." he finally replied, still smiling.

Bella stared at their joined hands for a brief second and let out a _genuine_ laugh. "Please, call me Bella."

"Then please address to us as just Carlisle and Esme." he winked.

The second Carlisle released her hand Esme took it and pulled Bella into her arms, giving her a motherly embrace. Bella tensed at first and then slowly, cautiously lifted her arms where they oh-so-lightly touched Esme's back as a way of returning the gesture. I remembered, then, that these sorts of greetings were foreign to Bella. I was certain she knew what such exchanges meant, but still… she'd never really seen or experienced any of them; she probably only came across actions like a simple hug when reading books or looking at pictures. Once again, I'd have given anything to know what she was thinking right now.

Esme finally released her and, sure enough, Bella appeared to be a tad flustered. "Bella, it's so wonderful to have you at our home. We've been looking forward to meeting you ever since Alice told us about your first meeting with Edward."

Neither Bella, nor I knew about that last part and we both stared accusingly at Alice. She smiled back at us innocently, playing with the ends of her spiky hair. Her eyes shifted to me; they accurately reflected her thoughts- full of mirth and maybe a smidge of guilt.

"Oh, did I forget to mention that to you?" she asked me.

"I believe so…" I answered- my voice, low with irritation. She knew that my first few meetings with Bella were supposed to be private. The conversations we had were ours… and ours, _alone_. I was a bit disappointed with her, as my sister, for blabbing my interactions with Bella to the rest of the family and was also curious to know what else she told them.

Alice could see I was about to ask, and then abruptly turned towards the top of the stairs exclaiming, "Oh, look; it's my Jazzy!" And within another flash, she was at the top of the staircase with her arms around Jasper.

They weren't the usual couple that showed any general public display of affection. They truly didn't need to, in order to prove to any spectators that they were together. It was easy to see merely by watching the way they looked at each other. All of their feelings were easily conveyed through eye contact. Of course, it also helped that Jasper could both sense and manipulate emotions of people around him. Still, his gift was never required when it came to Alice. Even now the two of them stared into each others' eyes with such tenderness and intimacy; I saw that Bella, who was watching the whole exchange, had to avert her eyes. I couldn't blame her. The way Jasper and Alice would occasionally look at one another made those around them feel like they were intruding on a very private moment.

Noticing Bella's unease, Carlisle pretended to make a short cough. A humorous action, since vampires never showed any sort of illness, but it brought Alice and Jasper back from their little world. They both smiled apologetically and faced the rest of us while Jasper kept his hand on Alice's shoulder, which only reached just below his chest.

"Bella," Alice began. "This is my eternal mate and husband, Jasper."

Bella took a good look at him, this time, while trying not to actually meet his gaze. I supposed she still wasn't used to associating with vampires so casually. Her eyes squinted as if she was studying something about his features real hard, and then they suddenly widened. I turned to Jasper, trying to find what she might've seen, and realized he was wearing a tight fitting sweater with sleeves that only reached his elbows. Its v-shape also exposed his neck. This meant that a good portion of his 'battle scars' were in view. No typical human being would notice it, but Bella had been around enough immortals to notice such subtle wounds. Being from the vampire Southern Wars, Jasper was covered in these types of old injuries. I could understand why Bella might've found this to be quite daunting. Jasper raised a brow at her, sensing her sudden fear.

Fear turned to embarrassment when she realized her open gawking. She blinked a couple times, as if snapping out of her daze, and shyly looked away. "Uh- um, sorry…" she mumbled.

Jasper's eyes shifted to me. _Is she always this self-conscious?_ I heard him ask through his thoughts. I smirked in response, though my eyes remained on Bella. I watched as she returned her gaze to his, seeming more confident- content.

"Greetings, Bella," Jasper nodded with a small grin.

"Hello, Jasper," she nodded back with a broader smile. Now it was my turn to raise a brow, this time, at Jasper. He wouldn't go out of his way to make just any human feel comfortable. I'd already warned him before to keep his distance for the sake of safety measures, but there must've been something about Bella that he really liked. When he saw the look I was giving him, he merely shrugged.

"Do you play, Bella?" I heard Esme ask. When I brought my attention back to her, she was staring admiringly at the baby grand piano in the sitting room.

Bella looked back at Esme. "Only a little," she answered. "But I've heard your- er- son play once. He is very talented. Of course, he's had much more practice than I've had. I do not think any of the few compositions I learned could ever compare." She smiled at me and winked.

"That's a lot to say for a person you've only heard one time." I chortled. "Though, I could also give you the same compliment for your special talent."

I looked to Esme and Carlisle, who were watching our exchange with subtle intrigue. "Bella is quite the enchanting singer. It was actually her tuneful voice that first led me to her."

As if on cue, the blush returned to her face.

"Is that so?" Carlisle mused. "Well then, we won't put you on the spot right now, but you must sing for us sometime."

Bella nodded. "Yes, sir- though, only if Edward agrees to serve as my accompanist…?" She looked at me sweetly, her eyes quietly pleading. How could I possibly refuse such a face?

"I would be honored." I watched with internal delight as her smile grew wider.

"Perhaps Edward would be willing to give you another demonstration of his skill." Esme urged. "I've missed having the sound of piano keys filling up this place. It's been far too quiet since he and Alice were gone."

I lightly shook my head. "She hasn't even seen the rest of this place, yet."

"I wouldn't mind hearing you play again," Bella volunteered.

"It's settled then." Esme pushed both of us toward the piano as I took Bella's hand and gestured her to sit on the stool before joining her.

I then gave her a long exasperated look and turned to the keys. If I had not felt at home after walking through the door I certainly felt so now, once my fingers had touched the ivory. And just to further please Esme, I began playing the song I'd composed for her, 'filling up the place' (as she'd recently put it) with a combination of luxuriant notes that overlapped one another.

I watched in amusement as Bella's chin gradually dropped, leaving her with an open mouthed expression that could only be identified as awe. I could hear the others chuckling softly from where they continued to stand near the staircase. After a brief moment, Esme shooed them off so Bella and I were left alone. I didn't mind the idea one bit…

My focus remained on the girl sitting next to me. While she still appeared to be star struck, I simply grinned at her casually- playfully- without slowing down or taking a single break in what I was playing. I had told her that I wrote a dozen (or so) original pieces, promising to give her a private performance when we arrived here. I figured she'd be impressed, but- just in case she forgot to breathe- I winked at her. This seemed to break Bella out of her trance and she blinked a few times before speaking.

"You wrote this?" she breathed. I grinned wider at the admiration in her tone.

"Yes, this would be Esme's favorite. Do you like it?"

She didn't say anything at first; instead, her gaze shifted down to my hands, watching intently as they flowed swiftly across the keys. Bella then closed her eyes and shook her head slowly, with a new smile on her face that I had not seen before.

My brows furrowed the tiniest bit. "Is something wrong?" I asked quietly.

Her eyes opened back up and I once again nearly found myself lost in those milk chocolate orbs.

"Not at all," she answered. "Your music is incredible. It's just…" she looked behind her for a second and when she saw that no one was standing nearby anymore, she turned back to me and admitted in a low voice no other human would be able to hear: "I just feel extremely insignificant right now."

My face turned serious and I made sure to directly meet her gaze, willing her with my eyes to grasp the words that left my lips. "Bella, you've no reason to feel like that- especially not here."

She nodded solemnly, looking down at her hands that she kept on her lap. I wasn't planning to do this until later, but it seemed like Bella needed a little more encouragement… So my fingers slowed and changed keys, shifting from Esme's song to something softer. I'd had this tune in my head not long after meeting Bella and I was itching to finish writing it. It wasn't fully complete just yet; there were some sections where I wanted to play around with the notes a bit more, to make it sound even sweeter. However, Bella noticed the change of melody and I was pleased to see her head perk up in interest.

"Another one?" she looked up at me curiously.

I nodded, observing her face as the lullaby went on. While watching Bella's expression, I tried to put forth every emotion I felt since the day I met her into the notes: how moved I was when I first heard her singing… the absolute ease of conversing with only her voice during our secret meetings when she'd be behind the mirror… the immediate adoration of seeing her in that exquisitely elegant dress on the night we finally met face to face… the fierce protectiveness that took over when Caius struck her- when Aro tried to change her… and, of course, the upmost tenderness of when we touched.

My attempt seemed to work; as I saw Bella's lips pucker adorably in a softer smile and her eyes glaze over with a thin sheen of tears threatening to fall. Even as a mind reader, it still amazed me to this day how much a person could communicate to another without the use of words. Bella's mouth opened and closed a couple of times, and then she finally spoke again.

"Beautiful… the melody is so unbearably sweet, yet consists a sort of longing in a way." It was like she was actually reading the emotions I'd put in what I played. "Every time I hear the tunes repeat, it's like the message becomes clearer."

"And what does the message tell you?" I whispered.

Bella closed her eyes once more, her brows furrowing a tad bit as she listened closely. To humor her, I repeated a few of the previous measures in hopes to help with her evaluation. Though, _I_ wasn't even sure what all this music told of my feelings for her. I cared deeply for Bella, that much was certain. However, there was a part of me- a part of which I felt I had not known for ages- that told me she meant more to me than that of a friend. Perhaps a sister…? No, that couldn't be; my affections for her were still much different from what I felt for Alice and (on some occasions) Rosalie. I was especially protective of Bella, and then there were those unexplainable sensations that triggered practically every time we touched. In the minute or so that I pondered this, Bella looked back at me with a satisfied grin.

"I think the message really interprets a story- one that's based on the affections in a relationship. The notes start off soft, like a mere dream or longing for such companionship. After that, it grows faster and louder in some places, and then softens again at a slower pace in others; from the strength of a relationship's bond, to the tender caresses it provides when needed…"

The more I heard of this, the more I repeated what I was playing as I listened to the notes like she had. After briefly thinking it over, I knew she was right. The music I created did interpret the strength and nature of my relationship with Bella. Maybe that was why it didn't sound finished to me- because I was still discovering what our relationship meant. Indeed, it was unlike any bond I had ever formed with someone and that kind of frightened me. Just what, exactly, were Bella and I? There were only a few things I could think of, that went beyond the friendship I'd originally thought we shared. One of those things did stand out to me, but I wasn't ready to admit it. Even if I did admit it was true, what then? To me, she was the closest embodiment of purity and perfection while I was still a monster. Bella claimed before that she'd felt insignificant- unworthy- yet it was I who wasn't worthy of her. As I thought of this, my fingers switched chords to a more melancholy key, playing the song's final measures. The last note hovered poignantly in the silence.

Neither of us said a word for what felt like a while, possibly afraid to break the comfortable quietness that provided pause for thought. Surprisingly, Bella was the first to interrupt it.

"Thank you for the private performance." she said in a low voice. "I found it to be very refreshing- especially the last piece."

I beamed at that. "It's a good thing you did," I began, "because that one, in particular, was inspired by you."

Her eyes widened and the blush returned in all of its glory. She quickly looked away, taking sudden interest in the tiny hands that remained on her lap. I wasn't offended by it; she already told me she liked the song I wrote for her. I could tell Bella was just being shy, again. That had to be fixed.

"They like you, you know…" I decided to change the topic, but Bella didn't look back up at me just yet. From what I could see of her profile, her gaze appeared to go through her lap and past the floor- her mind was somewhere else.

"Bella," I said a little louder.

"Hmm?" She glanced at me- not completely facing me, but partially.

"I said they like you."

She smiled gratefully. "Carlisle and Esme do seem nice, and then Jasper…" Bella bit her lip again.

"His distance is actually my doing. I warned him before we came here to keep away, even when he's just the slightest bit thirsty. I promise it's nothing personal- it is more of a precaution, really."

"Oh," she replied absently as she stared out the large glass windows that took up the walls. It was easy to tell she was feeling a little restless, so I got up and offered my hand to her. I was immediately reminded of our night at the festival, when I did the same thing before asking her to dance.

"Would you like to see the rest of our home?"

The grin returned and she nodded as she took my hand. "I would like that very much."

I finished showing her the first floor, including the guest room she would be staying in. It disappointed me that she wouldn't be very close to where I usually relaxed in my room. When we reached the second floor I pointed to Alice and Jasper's room, located at the far end of the hall, Carlisle's office in the middle. As we reached the opposite end I was about to mention who owned the room right in front of the stairs that led to the third floor. However, one of the two occupants suddenly threw the door open with a near predatory grin on his face. The door made a loud noise as it hit the wall, which made Bella jump and instinctively lean into my side.

_Skittish little thing, isn't she… Definitely smaller than I pictured her_, his thoughts mused. He kept his hands balanced against either side of the threshold, making his frame look that much bigger, and I resisted rolling my eyes. He playfully leered down at Bella, saying nothing. She seemed to take in his build for a moment before straightening up only to stare back.

_Well? Get to it, Eddie_, his thoughts countered. I fought back a scowl; I hated when people called me Eddie. I gingerly wrapped my arm around Bella's shoulder, knowing she probably felt a bit intimidated by the guy's size. Although, I'd say he was no taller than Felix.

"Bella, this is…" the incarnation of annoyance, brother-bear, big goof? "Emmett."

The mentioned sibling leaned back into his normal, towering stance with his arms folded as he stepped out of the bedroom that belonged to him and Rose. He stopped almost a foot away from Bella, appearing to study her. Emmett chortled and lightly shook his head when she continued to watch him curiously. At least she didn't act afraid.

"I never thought I'd see the day when Eddie brought a woman home." I'm sure he saw my jaw tighten, but he only kept going. "I'm not sure if a little girl counts, though. You don't look much taller than the pixie."

"You mean Alice?" Bella murmured softly.

Emmett chuckled again. "And you got a tiny voice, too. Maybe, instead of Bella, I should just call you Belina- short for Thumbelina."

To my surprise and internal amusement, Bella mimicked Emmett's position by folding her arms and looking back up at him almost defiantly. "What would your name be, then; Goliath? It would be kind of amusing if you fell after taking the blow of a single pebble from little ol' me."

There was a brief pause and Emmett threw his head back, laughing harder than he did the past couple of times. "Edward, my brother, you should definitely keep this one. I know you haven't sampled very many, but take my word for it. There just might be hope in having you settle down yet…" And in true Emmett fashion, he wriggled his eyebrows. Bella looked up at me curiously, not sure what he was implying- thank the Lord. I subtly shook my head.

"As for you," Emmett pointed a large index finger at Bella. "I might have to change your name from Belina to Belladonna" (**FYI: Belladonna is a small, pretty looking flower that's actually extremely poisonous- just so you know**).

As sudden as he'd made his entrance, Emmett abruptly turned away and headed down the hall, waving back without actually looking. "I'll leave you two to it. I gotta meet with Rosie," was his only explanation- not that I needed to know any more details. I had to listen to enough of it; I barely refrained from shuddering next to Bella.

When my brother was out of sight, she struggled to disguise her short giggle as a cough. "Well, he seems… playful."

"More like pushy and hard-headed." I quietly argued.

_I heard that, Eddie_. I merely smiled at myself, certain that a brotherly spar was in order for later on tonight. Maybe he and I could make a wager so that if I won, he wouldn't harass my and Bella's relationship. I'd have to discuss this with Alice and check on what outcome she'd see. I was brought out of my musings by a light tug on my arm.

"Where to next?" Bella smiled up at me.

I grinned back as I led her up the stairs. "My room."

**So what do you think? Again, sorry for the wait but I gotta make sure my school work is finished, so my grades are in check- so I can keep the scholarship that brought me here! College has its ups and downs, but I'll try to update as soon as I can. From now on, I'll keep my chapter updates within a month's limit.**

**Also, to really help move the story along, would y'all mind telling me some of your favorite parts of this chapter (or any of the previous chapters, for that matter)? Hearing certain things that you favored would give me a better idea of what you guys look for in a good read. That way, I'll know how to type other chapters- short or long- to your satisfaction. Who knows? This might make me update chapters a lot faster… This is just a theory, though. I don't know if it'll work or not, but it's worth a try. So, yeah… please let me know. Hope y'all enjoyed this! :))**

**P.S.- If you want to hear my idea of Bella's song, look it up on my profile. It's not labeled under **_**Prisoner of**__**Heart**_**, but it's there. I even plan to post my idea of Esme's song too. Now this is just my opinion, but the lullaby for Bella that was played in the first movie wasn't very attractive at all. If you listen to it again, you'll see that most of the music was covered by an entire orchestra; pretty, but Edward didn't write a piece that involved any instruments other than the piano. And if you just listened to what was played on the piano in the movie, it doesn't sound like a lullaby- just a fancy way of going up and down the scale.**

**Okay, this is probably the longest P.S. ever written. I'm just gonna shut up now; I didn't mean to get carried away. To those of you who like the movie version of Bella's lullaby, just ignore me. The rest of you, though- please, please, check out the link on my profile and let me know if you like it better or not.**

**Also, a little shout out to Kelly and Kyle: Sure, you can call me E… ;) **


	9. Chapter 7

** Hey, y'all! Elien is finally back and you know what that means… Your requests are about to be answered (if not in this chapter, then definitely in the next few- I've taken careful note of each suggestion). I'm surprised the majority of you wanted shorter chapters. I guess it's because I always thought that the longer the chapter, the more readers get their fill. Though, I can understand your point of view as well. Still, when I first started typing this story I already knew it was going to be pretty lengthy (short chapters or not). Any-who, I'll try to provide some shorter entries ****after**** this one, but I don't wanna stretch the fan fic to a ridiculous amount of chapters- you know?**

** Now I should warn you that I don't think this particular chapter is my greatest work. I have found that my mood tends to affect the mood of whatever I'm writing… See, I'm nearing the end of the fall semester here at college so there's been a lot of assignments to finish and huge exams to study for; hence the delay in posting this sucker. I call this the "bipolar chappie" because when I was writing it I was under a near mental breakdown from being wrapped up in my school work. With that being said, some parts in this are more lighthearted while others are- well- not. It can get very deep and a little too detailed in places, so if it should confuse you or make your brain hurt I'd like to apologize beforehand. **

** Also, I need another opinion… You've read about Emmett's choices of nicknames for Bella. I'd like to know which one y'all like better. I know Belladonna might sound closer to her actual name, but I'm not necessarily looking for which sounds more similar. The one you guys think is the cutest and best suits Bella will be what Emmett calls her. So what will it be: Belina or Belladonna? You're also capable of choosing both; where I'll let Emmett call her Belina while she's still human and Belladonna after she's changed later on in the story. I'm thinking of going with the latter (using both names), but let me know in y'alls reviews.**

** Without further a due, let the reading commence. :)**

**Of Dreams and Nightmares**

BPOV-

It was all very surreal… to be here with Edward and his family. Every other time I blinked, I half-expected to find myself back in the lonely chambers of the Volterra towers. From there, I observed the world through foggy glass windows or from reading articles in books and sometimes newspapers. Never in my wildest dreams could I have predicted just how blue the sky really was, the varied intensity and directions of the wind, the numerous unrecognizable scents that hung in the air. I wanted to gauge every last bit of it and commit all these observations to memory. I wanted to get my sixteen years worth of experience in this world- the world I could've been a part of, if the Volturi had not discovered me upon my parents' deaths.

And to think- I wouldn't have made it here if it weren't for Edward and Alice. I owed them my undying devotion and friendship for giving me this adventure, no matter how it could turn out. Edward was rapidly becoming everything to me. He brought me out of my shell and proved to be the first trustworthy person I'd ever met. He was patient, witty, decent, and kind- a perfect gentleman. I felt warm and at peace when he was near me. There were also times when we touched, or he'd smile at me, and then my heart would skip a beat. I didn't know if that was normal in a friendship like ours, but I was still a little too shy to ask about it to Edward, himself. Perhaps I would mention it to Alice later. Ha! That Alice had quickly captivated me as well. She'd become the wind beneath my wings; I never felt uneasy when I was around her and, thus far, she always made me smile. Already there had been moments when I felt as though we might've known each other in another life.

Now, the other Cullens… I could get used to them. That much was for certain. Jasper, as Edward had commented before, was quiet. However, I could be just as silent myself and didn't mind his presence at all. Dr. and Mrs. Cullen appeared to be the ideal parental figures I've seen described in books. Carlisle stood straight in an almost regal manner like Aro and his brothers, only the stance looked more relaxed. This along with his humble expression and the words that were exchanged indicated to me that he was indeed a great man, in more ways than one. Esme was- well- beautiful, in an angelic way that made it impossible not to like her. When she hugged me the way she did, it brought on a tidal wave of strange yet endearing emotions that were oddly familiar, but I couldn't quite place… Emmett was, um, _interesting_ to say the least. I had a feeling he and I were going to get along fairly well.

As we turned from the room he shared with Rosalie (a member of the family I had yet to see) and made our way up the steps to the final floor, I thought about how ironic the whole situation was. The outcome still involved my becoming an immortal, however I'd gone from being locked away and preparing for a vampire life to being free and learning how to live like the average human. And it was the vampires that were _teaching_ me to be human. I snickered to myself, which of course didn't go unnoticed by Edward. He looked over his shoulder from the top of the stairs and smiled crookedly at me.

"Do I get to hear the joke?" he asked as I caught up with him.

I just shook my head and smiled back. "I guess I'm still trying to convince myself whether or not this is a dream- that you may or may not disappear in a puff of smoke within the next few seconds."

He raised a brow. "You're sure my presence wouldn't make your dream more of a nightmare? I am a vampire after all."

"True, but nightmares mark the fine line between our fears and reality. Dreams mark a similar line between reality and what's beyond our own normalcy." I shrugged. "This wouldn't be much of a nightmare, since being around vampires is pretty normal for me."

"So normal that you no longer fear them…?" For a brief moment, his gaze looked dark and incredulous before relaxing again.

"I don't fear the kind you are," I answered smoothly. "I don't fear _you_."

"We are all the same, Bella," he replied. "We crave the same thing, whether we try to work our way around it or not. We're all equally dangerous and I am no exception."

"Humans can be just as dangerous to each other." I quietly argued. "From what I hear of the world today, we can be just as lethal and unstable. But that doesn't stop us from looking past our fears and insecurities to find a common ground. If you didn't believe in stuff like that, I probably wouldn't be here, now would I?"

We'd walked toward the end of the hallway and Edward stopped ahead of me at my last comment. He slowly turned to face me as we stood in front of another closed door. I stared up at him defiantly, silently challenging him to prove me wrong. He merely stared back at first, until the tiniest sad smile graced his features.

"And… if I _did_ believe in 'stuff like that,' you do realize that I'd be only one among a tremendously scarce few in this unmercifully forsaken world who still do, right?"

I nodded.

"You also realize that small numbers rarely win in nearly any kind of battle, don't you?"

I shrugged again. "I don't think numbers would matter in the case we're talking about."

"Why is that?"

"Because while there may be very few people who do believe in such things, there are still a whole lot of others who _want_ to… So it's not entirely a lost cause."

Edward just continued to stare at me, his eyes carefully studying mine. I resisted shuffling my feet or biting my lip under his intense gaze. Of course I couldn't stop the blush from returning to my cheeks, but at least I held my ground and didn't look away. Instead of further pressing the subject, he reached for the knob beside him- without breaking our little staring match- and opened the door.

"Ladies first," he smiled a bit more genuinely this time.

I grinned almost triumphantly, folding my arms across my chest as I stepped through the threshold. Edward's room was very spacious. The glass wall was at one side with a sliding glass door that opened to what I assumed was a three story drop; though, in a house that belonged to vampires, I didn't question it. The rest of the walls consisted of shelves upon shelves of CDs, records, and books. At one corner was a very expensive looking stereo system while a computer and work desk was placed at the other corner. A small leather couch was positioned against the wall opposite of the glass, where a few slightly worn books were stacked on a dark side table next to the arm of the sofa.

I was about to ask why there was no bed, but quickly remembered that vampires didn't sleep. Though, the rest of the Cullens had beds in their rooms. Maybe it was just for show… Why else would a vampire own a bed? Before I could completely pull my thoughts away from the gutter, the blush returned. In attempts to hide it, I kept my back to Edward and wandered further into the room. I picked up one of the books on the table next to the couch and, after glancing at the content, I made a discovery that helped me forget about my blush.

"Are these your journals?" I turned to Edward, who was leaning casually against the threshold.

His subtle, yet somehow lazy sort of grin faltered a bit as he nodded.

I looked back down at what I was holding and ran my fingers across the slightly rough, black leather of the cover. With my peripheral vision, I glanced between him and the journal a couple times more as I tentatively opened it. I didn't want to invade on Edward's privacy, but I really was curious. And when he made no move to stop me, I briefly skimmed through the first few pages. It looked messy at first; ink was splattered in places and the handwriting, although mostly neat, looked like it was all written in a hurry. Also, the sides of these pages were torn a little and- at either the beginnings of the top paragraphs or the endings of the bottom ones- there were even hints of, um, burn marks…?

Another observation I made was that none of the entries were dated. From what I read, the content wasn't in any specific order and neither gave complete descriptions nor did it really express any opinionated thoughts or interests. At first glance, I figured it was just a bunch of notes that involved personal information. When I flipped through the pages a second time, however, I realized they weren't mere notes at all. They were _memories_- from Edward's human life. I skimmed through several other pages more thoroughly, this time while turning each sheet of paper with the most revered care (as if holding the first handwritten Bible).

There were brief, hazy visions of his father- Edward Sr. - along with faint recollections of the soft, velvety tone of his mother. I smiled when I read that; at least now I had an idea of where Edward originally got his soothing voice from. I peered at a few more entries that involved his parents, including one or two lectures he remembered getting from his dad. Though, most of these memories were about his mother. Now I knew how Edward could tell that his mother was beautiful, even though he couldn't completely remember her face. The memories he wrote about her were the most emotional: the way his frozen heart seemed to ache (as he believed it did back then) when he'd unintentionally come across a smell that must've been like hers- such as honeysuckle and baby powder, or white tea and ginger… the sudden and shockingly sensational flashbacks of feather-light caresses from her long, smooth fingers whenever a gentle breeze or the near weightless pitter patter of rain met his features. The one that captured me the most was mentioned when he'd come across what a human would consider being almost an excessive amount of heat. To a vampire like him, it'd give off just enough of an _endearing kind of warmth_, as his written words described it.

_It is the most familiarity I'd ever felt all at once…_

_Yet it is also the most bizarre…_

_It is a sensation that holds an endearing kind of warmth that permeates the inside like a hearth's gentle fire. And you know that it's just as potent on the outside as well…_

_Yet it is also that one split second when time seems to come to a halt and the world you know suddenly has neither a beginning nor an end. Despite that, you're not afraid- as long as you have __her__…_

_Because __she__ is a person who can never be fully replaced; such that this sensation, this memory I feel, can never be completely fathomed._

_For I know that because I can only obtain small portions of my human memories; such that this alarmingly intense one is only a small portion of the real thing also._

_It is something to give, but never really take._

_It is something that appears common to onlookers, but is significantly unique to the initiators._

_It is as natural as basking in the sunlight…_

_It is also as supernatural as the strongest sense of déjà vu…_

_It is a content, peaceful, and secure feeling that is received through one person- and one person, alone; not even Esme can meet it, at least not to the full degree._

_It is the warm and gentle embrace of a beloved mother with her child._

Never, in my life, had I ever considered such a simple gesture to be so intimate. It made my heart sink a little, knowing that I'd never been able to feel something like that. I wanted to learn more. I wanted to know about Edward's past life and his mother as much as possible, even though all the other notes would still most likely be a lot vaguer. However, when I turned to the next page there were no more entries- no more notes. It only took me five minutes to look through a dozen or so pages and the rest of the journal was completely blank.

My heart sank even lower. These were the only precious memories that Edward had left of his human life (be they unclear or not). The thought made me recall what I said earlier when walking up the stairs. For all intents and purposes, Edward's remaining memories really _were_ just a series of dreams- from a life that no longer belonged to him. It had finally hit me, the gravity of his situation. My life had always been a lonely one, so I wouldn't exactly miss it whenever I'd be changed. Edward, on the other hand…

He had a _home_ and a family that obviously loved him. To have your loved ones die from a terrible disease, and then suddenly wake up from an excruciatingly painful transformation with almost no recollection of who used to mean the world to you- that would have to be the most frightening nightmare of all. It certainly trumped mine… I closed the journal and cradled it to my chest, as if making a feeble attempt of grasping a motherly embrace for myself. Of course, it would be met by nothing- just silence and empty air. I kept my gaze where I'd had the journal held out, my eyes once again greeting the floor. I didn't notice that, in the five minutes it took me to speed read through his writing and the extra minute-&-a-half for my mood to make a complete 180, Edward had quietly walked up behind me to peer over my shoulder. Normally, I would've been startled and jumped out of my skin upon suddenly acknowledging his close proximity. Surprising enough, though, I just… didn't.

"It wasn't something I did, was it?" he murmured with concern in his soft, velvety tone- which only made me want to either collapse right there or hug him and never let go. He truly did take a lot after his mother and I didn't even know the woman personally. I could just imagine what the texture of Edward's low tenor voice might've sounded like in a higher, more feminine version. It probably would've been something close to Esme's.

"What are you talking about?" I countered. My voice sounded so small- even _I_ was surprised at hearing it. I'd only made it half-way through my first full day of freedom and was already beginning to feel emotionally exhausted. What was wrong with me? Why was I experiencing so many unfamiliar feelings now? Why had I not felt such things before? A short glance at Edward's worried face set off a little buzzer in the back of my mind that seemed to whisper '_that's__ why_…'

"You're crying, Bella," I heard him reply.

I reached up to touch my cheeks and, sure enough, they were wet. I bit my lip at first, but then gave a soft smile before clearing my throat.

"Well, you are a very convincing writer," I answered honestly- okay, _mostly_ honest. "You can make some of the vaguest descriptions still sound so beautiful. It gave me goose bumps- but in a good way." I quickly added the last part.

He didn't seem convinced, as he gently moved the curtain of hair that was hiding half of my face and tucked it behind my ear. In doing that, he was able to fully unleash his penetrating gaze on me and it was a struggle not to get lost in those hypnotic, honey-colored eyes.

"That doesn't explain to me why you're-"

"They're happy tears, Edward," I intervened, before his dazzling trick could make me run away with my feelings.

Now, his expression was just downright incredulous. His eyes briefly glanced at the journal I kept clutched to my chest (no doubt remembering the entries he'd made about a life long-lost), and then looked back at me as if I'd grown three heads. It wasn't at all like his usual calm and collected disposition. It was much more animated, boyish. If this was a more light-hearted moment, I probably would've laughed.

Instead, I let out an exasperated sigh. "Look what I mean is that some of your words were very…" And that was when I made the mistake of looking directly at his eyes for too long.

"Yes…?" he urged.

I could feel the unfamiliar emotions I'd been trying to push away begin to rise back up like vomit in my throat. I blinked a few times before closing my eyes completely, to recollect myself. After taking a deep breath, I locked gazes with him again- refusing to let down my defenses this time.

"Your words were, um, very touching." I finished. My voice still started off shaky, but at least the last two words were a bit stronger and sincere.

To my annoyance, I somehow caught a mischievous glint in his eyes; though, his face continued to mask concern. He knew exactly what I meant when I mentioned why I was crying. He was just toying with me. This made me mad, which only caused more tears to flow. I always hated the fact that I cried when I was angry. Just like how a person can't control where he or she is ticklish, I can't control what emotions cause my eyes to tear up. Part of me was semi-glad that these feelings that were beginning to surface were the kinds of which I was familiar with. However, as I kept my eyes on Edward's, I could feel my defenses slipping once again.

"Was there anything else that you found?" he asked as he side-stepped to where we were facing each other. I also didn't fail to notice that he was about two inches closer to me than he was before.

"The language was also very moving," I said more coolly and he took half a step closer.

"And…?" He raised a brow.

"And…" my voice faltered and I saw a corner of his lips twitch, as if he was trying not to smile. "Some of it was very heartfelt, too." Now he took one big step forward and seemed to tower over me. This time, he didn't bother to hide his smile.

"_And_… what else, Bella?" he whispered huskily in an adoring sort of way, but this was merely his idea of playful trickery. It was innocent and not real… but the feeling of his cool, sweet breath on my face was still _very_ effective.

"And…" My mind went completely blank. However, the way his smirk began to grow into a Cheshire grin caused the anger I'd almost forgotten to resurface. "And will you, _please_, stop doing that," I nearly shouted.

"Excuse me?" he raised a brow, as his eyes glittered with amusement and curiosity while still boring into mine.

"That," I pointed accusingly at his golden orbs. "That, right there, when you try to persuade me with that look in your eyes."

"So… I am dazzling you, again?" He said it more like a statement, rather than a question.

"Yes," I replied more firmly, ignoring our close proximity that he'd yet to step away from. "And quite frankly, it's considerably unfair- using it just to pry out my every thought."

"Maybe to you," Edward countered, as he leaned in closer to whisper in my ear. "But to me… 'I don't think _dazzling_ would matter in the case we're talking about.'"

I rolled my eyes at his mockery and summed up enough initiative to finally step away from him. "Well, what exactly are we talking about?"

Edward cocked his head to the side and started explaining as if he was talking to a three-year-old. "We are talking about what you feel from reading some of my own thoughts… What you may think of me now, after reading them."

My eyes narrowed at his somewhat playful tone. "I'm still not scared of you, if that's what you really mean." With that mentioned, my face smoothed over and I returned his mischievous smile with one of my own. "In fact, I don't think you're so terrifying at all."

Edward's eyes widened with his lips slightly agape. "Not terrifying…" he nearly mouthed, rather than barely whisper.

I was caught off guard when he suddenly poised into a predatory stance and began to edge towards me. I followed each of his advancing steps with a retreating one, until I realized too late that we'd circled to where I was standing on the opposite side of the room, furthest away from the door. There was certainly no hope of getting past him.

"Edward," I said in a suspicious, warning tone.

He only answered with an unearthly growl that sent chills down my spine, but in a good way. It left me alert, with bated breath, waiting for the thrill- that pleasant rush of adrenaline I always expected people to feel on roller coasters and other intense rides.

It was when I felt a cool faint breeze from behind me that I briefly looked back and realized what Edward was planning to do. My now panicked gaze quickly switched back to him.

"You wouldn't dare…" I snapped.

Edward's lips curled back from his smirk to reveal nearly all of his teeth and for a split second he really did look like nothing but a predator, an animal… a powerful beast, out for the hunt. This split second was all I had left before he lunged forward.

"EDWARD!"

**And there you have it… I know a good bit of you asked for more Jasper, but don't worry- his time to shine will come up soon. ;)**

** To Spencer and I'm Lovin' This: No, I did not write "the new Bella's Lullaby" on my profile. I only wish I had those piano skills- I hope to take lessons in playing it someday. The words on the video were pulled straight out of the book and typed on there by another dedicated Twilight fan. The actual music, though, was played by a brilliant Korean pianist named Yiruma. He's written dozens of other pieces, like **_**River Flows in You**_**, that are so remarkably beautiful and so sweet that it's heartbreaking! A lot of people agree that the REAL Bella's Lullaby- the way Stephenie Meyer had described it- should have sounded similar to Yiruma's work… And I'm definitely one of those people who agree. Unlike the song in the movie, my interpretation of Bella's Lullaby (played ONLY by piano) can easily be hummed faster, slower, an octave lower or just in a different key. I found that detail to be extremely important since, in the book, Edward sometimes lulls Bella to sleep as he hums the song he wrote for her. Yeah, I'm getting carried away again, aren't I? Sorry…**

** Anyway, let me know what you think of this chapter! Oh, and for those of you who checked out **_**River Flows in You**_** by Yiruma- my version of Bella's Lullaby- that was posted on my profile and liked it, here are some other songs by him that you may like as well (please note that I'm not advertizing, here; these are songs that **_**I **_**like, based on **_**my**_** opinions/tastes in music): **_Destiny of Love _(you can find this listed as my interpretation of Esme's Favorite on my profile)

_May Be_

_ Kiss the Rain_

_ The Moment _(One of my personal favorites; I think of Edward and Bella's meadow when I hear it)

_Do You_

_ Time Forgets _(I'm using this one in another fan fic, as Renesmee's Melody- on my profile)

… **And there are lots of others, but those were just a few that caught my special attention. ;)**


	10. Chapter 8

**Hey, guys- long time, no update! I realize it's a little late to be saying this, but I hope everyone had a great Christmas break and a happy new year as well. Unless I'm mistaken, I believe this is one of my shorter chapters; I'm trying to make them briefer, like you requested… So it's not much for such a long wait and I apologize for that, but a new semester means a lot of new assignments in and out of class. I'm sure you know how that goes. ;)**

**Anyway, progress in creating this story has reached several speed bumps as I thought about it over my winter break. This means I'm still deciding how POH will end and which conflicts I should add in my chapters that'll lead to my chosen ending. I got a few ideas written down, but it's still a bit of a struggle for me. Therefore, I might be asking for certain suggestions on how to proceed in following chapters. With that said, I also request that you all remain patient in the continuance of this story.**

**Please enjoy reading this new chapter that I managed to post.**

**I hope I haven't lost my touch… :)**

**Aurora**

I was flying- strike that- _he_ was flying and I was hanging on for dear life. Almost out of instinct, my eyes squinted shut and I ducked my face into the crook of Edward's neck. When the wind stopped blowing against my flesh and my stomach no longer felt that uneasy drop from being pulled to the surface by gravity, I chanced peeking one eye open to see where we landed. We didn't necessarily land, though, at least not on the ground. In full vampire speed, Edward had swept me up in one arm, leaped out of his room's sliding glass door- which he somehow opened without me noticing- and made it to an old, tall Sitka tree several yards away from the house. He had one hand latched onto a branch, while the other kept me cradled to his chest, with the soles of his feet digging into the bark of the tree trunk. We were still far away from the earth and the distance made one of my hands that ended up around Edward's shoulder clench tighter.

"What was that you were saying about me, not being terrifying?" he asked innocently.

"Do you realize that provoking my fear of heights doesn't necessarily provoke me to fear you?" I managed to mock in the same tone.

My heart sped up when I felt his body shake against mine in silent laughter. "First you mention being afraid of my family's rejection. Now you confess having a phobia for heights. Are you trying to imply that you're scared of everything, _but_ vampires?"

"Right now, I'm scared of being dropped by one," I nearly exclaimed.

"Hah!"

At that, Edward suddenly released his hold on me and I let out a surprised yelp. A deep blush crept back on my cheeks when my bottom almost immediately landed on his cold, hard, jean clad thigh. He grabbed the journal that I didn't realize my free hand was still holding, and then shoved it into one of the pockets inside the pea-coat he was wearing. He smiled devilishly as he repositioned me on his back, where both of my arms were around his neck and my legs wrapped around his waist. When I was safely in place he completely removed his feet from the tree trunk, so we were dangling from that single branch that his other hand was still grasping.

He tilted his head back where he could see me in his peripheral vision. "You better hang on tight, spider-monkey," he whispered teasingly as his cool breath tickled my warm, red cheek.

Then, he let go of the branch and I elicited a high-pitched squeal as we dropped towards the earth. In an instant, we were flying again as Edward's feet seemed to barely touch another branch before jumping from there towards the next tree… and the next one, and the next one, reaching a greater height with each leap. My arms constricted around his neck even tighter, in what would've been a death grip. In fact, they were so firmly wrapped about him that I no longer had a place to hide my face. Closing my eyes didn't work; it just wasn't as comforting as being shielded by Edward's cool silken flesh.

I had no choice, but to keep my eyes open. I refused to look down, for fear of just how high we were. When I began looking straight ahead, though, I was met with a pleasant surprise. The wilderness Edward was climbing through was beautiful. The trees were so lush, green, and had creatures nesting in some of them that cowered away when they saw us coming. The temperature became less chilly and the sky somehow looked brighter. Looking through this perspective, it really did feel like I was flying. Then rush that I felt immediately went from intimidating to exhilarating, and I couldn't resist laughing out of sheer thrill.

Edward turned his head a little to the side, letting me catch the satisfied (and somewhat smug) look on his face, and then he began to leap and climb even faster- higher. Suddenly, the inside of my ears were giving a weird popping sensation- something similar to what I felt on the plane we took to Forks. Alice had explained to me it's what happens when humans reach a certain great height- like in the sky or on tall mountains. That was when I realized. Edward was taking me up one of the nearby mountains… But why would he take me somewhere so fairly far away?

As if sensing my curiosity, Edward finally spoke. "We're almost there."

"Almost where…?" I asked.

He didn't answer. He just kept climbing until we reached a shady cypress that overlooked a large lake. Edward continued to climb as high as he could go, while still remaining beneath the canopy of the tree's leafy branches. Eventually, he stopped on one of the bigger branches- big enough for the two of us to stand on- and gently pried my arms from around him, helping me slide off his back. My now jet-lagged legs buckled for a moment, after being suspended about Edward's waist for a little while, and almost caused me to fall off the edge.

Edward's hands instantly reached out and grabbed either side of my waist in a firm grasp. Before I could react to the sudden touch, he pulled me to him in an almost protective manner. And though the branch was thick enough to support us, it wasn't all that big in width- so Edward had me balanced alarmingly close to him… so close that if I were to just move my head up the faintest inch or two, our noses would be touching. He didn't seem to notice my slight discomfort and when he felt my body go rigid, he mistook that something else might've been wrong.

"Bella, are you alright? You seem tense. Did all the fast climbing make you ill?" He didn't even seem to realize that his hands were still on my waist.

"I- I'm fine," I answered quietly. My voice was barely audible since my throat had become dry. Whether it was from our close proximity or sometime while on our way here, I wasn't sure.

When I managed to look up at Edward's face, I was a tad shocked to see that his golden orbs had grown a shade darker. They were watching me intently, once again. His lips barely parted only to close back up- which made me unconsciously bite down on my lower lip. When he appeared to lean in closer, my mind started to panic.

"Um, Edward…?" I quickly stuttered.

He blinked once as if coming out of a trance and pulled back with an apologetic look in his eyes. "Yes, Bella," he waited.

"I think you can let me go now." I gestured to his hands that were still placed firmly on my waist.

"Oh," was all he said.

His hands moved from my sides and took hold of my palm, leading me to the trunk so I could safely lean against it. He stood back a ways in front of me and grabbed hold of another nearby branch for him to casually lean on as well, keeping one hand in the pocket of his pea-coat. He smiled at me sheepishly and I returned it with a contented grin of my own, as I folded my arms against my chest and looked out at the lake.

The view was beautiful, needless to say. The lake seemed to go on for miles… Well, it wasn't much of an actual lake, as the farthest edge was joined to a narrow river that stretched to where it disappeared behind a set of rolling hills. These tall hills, blanketed by clusters upon clusters of trees, were probably the most dominant feature of the entire forest. I momentarily considered counting how many there were, until a light tingling of warmth reached my right cheek. I recognized the sensation and quickly turned my gaze towards the source, eyes wide and unblinking.

The windows of my tower in Italy had all been thick stain-glassed windows. With them, there was nothing to look at but a bunch of light colors mixed together in indistinctive shapes. The only sign those windows ever offered me of the outside world was the brightness and/or lack of sunlight. There were occasions when I'd sit before one of those windows- letting the heat from the solar rays of the sun lightly stroke my face- as I simply pretended to look out on what goings on might've been happening beyond the veiled glass…

Now, however, it was real. Surrounded by nature, itself- along with all of its worldly sensations that I had so been deprived of- I was witnessing my very first sunset. I had to remember to blink as the brightness was beginning to blind me and I certainly didn't want to miss a second of this. The sun continued to give its familiar greeting, letting its wonderful heat brush against my face… _An endearing kind of warmth_- just as Edward's written words had explained the analogy for his mother's touch.

I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to picture it; tried to imagine what it might've been like to be held by my mom. I let the heat I was feeling encompass me and briefly made myself believe that it was someone's arms that had wrapped around my frame. I pictured the way she would smell as I took a deep breath. The fresh outdoorsy scent, mixed with the sweet odor of Edward's and the fruity shampoo that lingered in my hair, created an exquisite- almost original- smell that I couldn't help but think would be perfect for my mom. I imagined her grinning down at me with a smile like mine and a caring, thoughtful look in her eyes- kind of like the look Edward would sometimes give me, only more feminine and motherly. As a small gust of wind blew past my ear, I thought of how it might be to feel her breath while she whispered into it- her soft lips, lightly tickling my earlobe as she quietly confessed just how much she loved me.

A smile broke across my face the same time I felt a lone tear roll down my cheek. A long, cool finger brushed it away and- as I continued to keep a strong grip on my alternate reality for just a moment longer- I pretended it was my mother's oh so gentle touch that briefly met my flesh. There was another small gust of wind against my ear, only this time I wasn't imagining things when it (or _he_) whispered…

"You're going to miss it." Edward's chillingly sweet breath washed across my face, breaking me out of my reverie.

I opened my eyes and turned to smile at him before bringing my gaze back to the sun. It had slowly lowered its way behind the rolling hills of the forest, casting magnificent hues of orange, red, pink, and even hints of purple. It was the most breathtaking sight I had ever seen and I desperately wanted it to last forever.

"This is usually the best time of day for us," Edward quietly commented, "for vampires… Twilight is our safest time to come out. To me, it means a lot of other things. The end of another day, another life; the dawning of a world of darkness, where creatures like me are doomed to spend all eternity…"

"I don't mind the dark," I nonchalantly argued. "Without it, it'd be hard to see the stars."

Edward chortled. "I'm afraid you'll find it rather difficult to see stars at night around here. The skies in this area are almost always cloudy. That's why it's so easy for us to live here in Forks."

"So I'm guessing you won't be taking me beyond the cloud bank every day to see this, will you?" I playfully replied.

"Only if you want me to, Bella," he answered honestly with his signature crooked smile.

I made a double-take, looking at the expression on his face to ensure myself that he meant it. Then, I thought about the offer as I gazed off into the sunset one last time. With a small sigh, I turned back to him and shook my head.

"I'm afraid this won't be as special to me if we come here all the time. Maybe just every once in a while…?"

"A very reasonable answer," Edward nodded in approval, and then he reached his hand out towards me. "Shall we?"

My brows furrowed a little. "We're leaving already?" my voice pouty, almost childish. "It feels like we just got here."

Amusement shone in Edward's eyes once again and he took a step closer to gently grab hold of my hand. "We've been here longer than you think," he replied softly. "Plus, I made a promise earlier to bring you back before dark."

"How come I wasn't in on this promise?" I tried to stall. I only wanted to stay long enough to see the stars I had mentioned before. I mean, if Edward was right and this was the only place I'd ever get to see them…

"I'll let you see the stars another night, Bella." he added.

I raised a brow at him, then. "Are you sure you can't read my mind- perhaps even tiny snips of it?" I laughed when Edward rolled his eyes exaggeratingly, almost as if _he_ was a child.

"Just climb on my back, so we can go home." I only laughed harder when he said that, imagining how awkward it would've been to receive such a request when we first met.

As I began to lean over a bit to catch my breath, he pulled me closer to him by the hand he was still holding. I saw him subtly shake his head from the corner of my eye and as I calmed down, he removed his other hand from the branch he'd been leaning on to help me stand up straight in front of him. He gave me a once over as if making sure nothing was amiss; why he might've done this, I wasn't entirely sure. Then with a smile still present on his face, he effortlessly hoisted me by my elbows and managed to swing my body around to his back. My arms and legs latched onto him like before, and then we were off.

The ride back wasn't quite as exhilarating, since darkness was closing in and made it more difficult for me to see. The time it took for us to reach the Cullen household seemed a lot shorter, too. Though, I wasn't complaining. In fact, part of me was curious to see what everyone else was doing. I knew vampires couldn't sleep and had wondered what all they did in their spare time. As we drew nearer, Edward suddenly paused when we landed on a nearby tree that stood facing a corner of the home. Wondering why we stopped, I tilted my head over his shoulder to see he was shifting his gaze up and down between his bedroom door on the third floor and one of the side entrances on the first. Was he deciding which way to enter- why would it matter?

"Is something wrong?" I asked warily.

After another minute or two of silence he answered in a low, somewhat hasty tone. "Rosalie has returned from hunting with Emmett."

It only took me a few seconds to understand the reason for his hesitation. Rosalie didn't like humans- I remembered when Edward told me this back in Italy. He'd said that she was jealous over the fact that humans could live normal, mortal lives while she couldn't. Now that I thought about it, I sort of pitied the girl. I might have been human, but _I _certainly never had the chance to live a normal life. Today was the closest I ever came… In any event, Edward had warned me beforehand that Rosalie wouldn't exactly warm up to me right away. Actually, right now, the thought of meeting her was beginning to make me nervous.

I guess Edward sensed my new found tension and decided it was best to enter back into his bedroom. After one final leap, we were inside and he let me down near the couch before turning around to close the sliding glass door. I looked back at the other journals on the side table and remembered an observation I made about the one I read earlier.

"Edward," I began to ask.

"Yes, Bella…?"

"When I was reading your journal, a few of the pages were a bit torn. And if I'm not mistaken, there were also burn marks in some places. Why is that?"

Edward quietly chuckled to himself and then answered. "Bella, I've been writing in that book on and off since right after I was turned. When someone's new at being a vampire he has to learn to maintain a great deal of his strength and speed when around people or even certain objects."

My brows furrowed and he laughed once more before finishing his explanation. "See, if I was a newborn- with the uncontrollable thirst put aside- and I reached out just to caress your face," he demonstrated as we both ignored the blush starting to stain my cheeks again. "I could still crush your skull without meaning to."

"Heaven, forbid…" I said softly and gave him a tiny smile.

"Indeed," he nodded with a sad kind of grin as he removed his hand from the side of my face. "So perhaps you now understand. Those first several entries were written when I was still learning to control my immortal body's habits. I'd start writing a little too quickly and the pages in this particular journal," he pulled it out of his coat, "are more flammable than the other ones I own."

"Do you mean to tell me that you could write so fast, you'd nearly set those pages on fire?" I snickered at the thought of smoke coming off of the journal as Edward hastily wrote in it, like something you'd see in a cartoon.

"The burn marks were from when I tried using pencils; some of the wood around the lead often snagged against the paper when I'd write too fast. I thought I'd handle it better than when I used pens- the ink was too messy." he winked.

I just rolled my eyes in response. This was beginning to feel like such a nerdy conversation…

As Edward placed the journal on the stack of the other ones, I thought of something else.

"The rest of those document all of your years and experiences of being a vampire, right?"

"Yes," he eyed me warily.

"Will I get a chance to read them, too?"

He then gave me a friendly smile as he returned to my side. "I don't see why not." He looked like he was about to say something else, but his eyes became distant for a moment- like he was listening to something. He let out a small sigh and looked down at me with a somewhat reluctant grin.

"What is it?" I don't know why I asked, when I already had a hunch of what we were about to do.

"I have kept you to myself long enough," Edward replied. "Everyone is waiting for us downstairs." He said nothing else as he led me out of his room and down the staircase, but I knew what he also meant by those words.

It was time to meet Rosalie.

**Poor Bella; I'd feel a bit intimidated by Rose, too. I thought the same thing when I first read the book series. She's still a fun character, though.**

**Oh! I almost forgot… I tallied your votes on what Bella's nickname should be. For those of you who are just tuning in, I asked readers which pet name Emmett might call her: Belina (short for Thumbelina) due to her small and fragile form or Belladonna (after a beautiful, but fatally poisonous plant) because of her sweet yet daring personality.**

**There was also an option for choosing both: Belina for when she's human and Belladonna for after she's changed. The majority of readers chose both. Thank you for your intake; please give more! **


	11. Author again

** Hello all! Jeez, it's been so long since I last updated; even this simple author's note is making me feel kind of nostalgic…**

** Right, so first off: I am so, so, sooo sorry that I haven't been contributing to POH for a while. What with everything that's going on this summer- and by that I mean taking an online class while having some trip to go on every other week, not to mention looking for a decent paying summer job till school starts back in the fall- it's all just so… Argh! **

**(Sighs long & exasperatedly…)**

** My apologies, again, I just had to get that off my chest. Now, back to business; so what was I saying…?**

** Oh, yeah, second: I believe I told y'all before that I've been hitting several speed bumps when it's come to the development of this story. Since I plan to make writing part of my career someday, I tend to be very picky and sometimes overly self-critiquing when any of my pieces are involved. Therefore I've finally decided to ask you, the readers, to help me with several of these 'speed bumps' by leaving y'all with sort of an assignment- but don't worry, hopefully this can be both fun and helpful for all of us in making POH progress!**

** Below you will find a list of questions and requests on which I'd be most grateful to hear your intake. I might take away some of them later or possibly add more, so this page may be updated several times. If it isn't too much trouble, I ask that y'all keep checking it so nobody misses anything. Many of you have already helped me with a couple things in this story which has indeed been very useful to me. Now, I must ask for your help again. Not just those who have been reading… Please, if y'all have any friends or any other great writers who would be willing to give their critique, do send them my way. The more is most definitely the merrier, so **_**please**_** spread the word as far as y'all can!**

**Thank you,**

**Elien (called by some, E)**

**;-)**

_**My Brainstorming List:**__** (Note—some of the following might be ideas for a new story. Sometimes if I hit a writer's block on one story, it's usually because I got ideas for so many others crowding up my thinking process. I realize a lot of you wanna see more POH, but I hope you can be just as supportive with some of my other work as well. I promise, though, I won't be ending "Prisoner of Heart" just because I might be working on other stories. Trust me; I never give up on this kind of stuff so easily- EVER. Just be truthful with my ideas and stories… Something inspiring will have to come along sooner or later.)**_

_My most recent block is in what was to be the upcoming POH chapter, when Bella meets Rosalie. I think I can come up with a decent first greeting. What I'm mainly having trouble with is how the night should progress. What about Bella's first dinner with the Cullens- how should that go about, since everyone except Bella doesn't eat human food…? Would this be a good time for them to tell some funny stories to her that they might've experienced over the years? If so, who would you want to hear from most? I think the chapter would get too lengthy if I came up with a story for each of them; perhaps two or three would be good?_

_This may sound odd, but I've a question for anyone who lives in Canada or might've been to Canada. I may have heard of a couple places, however I'd really like to know about any special places up in Canada y'all consider to be fairly unique- romantic/secluded locations, beautiful landscapes, popular tourist attractions, and last (but most certainly not least) where you think the Cullens would be staying if they spent a semi-lengthy vacation there. I'm not just asking for popular spots; anywhere some of you Canadian locals might favor. Think of it this way: if Edward himself asked you what makes Canada such a beautiful place, what would be the first few things he'd see pop up in your head- besides how beautiful and awesome you think he is…? Lol. PLEASE, give me as much details as you can!_

**I think that's all I'll give y'all for now… Like I said, I may be updating this page on and off for a little while. I just didn't want to overwhelm you guys this first time. I probably update some more questions after I think I've got enough replies for the first two. Thanks again for having so much patience in me and this story. I promise I won't let y'all down. JUST KEEP UP WITH THE REVIEWS, PRETTY PLEASE! And remember spread the word as far as you can for others to help out. Hope to hear from all of you soon! :-)**


	12. Chapter 9

**AND I'M BACK! Did y'all miss me? Lol, thanks to those of you who recently sent in some suggestions with your reviews. I know I've said it before, but I feel like I need to say it again: I'm sorry that it's taking me longer and longer still to update on POH… But if y'all can believe it, I also **_**still**_** have to deal with school. Sometimes I just wish the rest of my three years of education would come and go as quickly as possible, so I can finally start on making a career out of what I love to do- writing stories! Anyway, hope this is worth the wait. No telling when I'll have time to update again, but I promise to do so as soon as possible. Academics always have to come first.**

**Easy Come, Easy Go**

EPOV-

"Is she even Italian, originally?" Her voice sounded uninterested, almost monotonous, but I knew better. I could hear the cynicalness that always lingered beneath the guise of her smooth and rich soprano tone… The acidic texture at the tip of her tongue from which she seemed to subconsciously elicit a bittersweet accent filled with both pride and envy. In my years of mind-reading, I've learned that a person's most typical use for tone of voice reveals what thoughts mostly dominate their mind; and Rosalie Lillian McCarty Hale was no exception.

"Well, her name _is_ Bella." I smirked at Emmett's remark, and then openly grinned when I heard his thoughts promising another sparring match with me tonight- just as I had predicted.

"Do I get to hear the joke?" Bella murmured, quoting me from earlier. We were nearing the bottom of the staircase that led to the second floor, hand in hand and out of human ear shot of what I could hear going on another floor down.

I turned my head to face her just as she blinked those long eyelashes, which immediately brought my attention to her big brown eyes. I found myself growing more transfixed in their gaze and for a moment, I forgot what I was going to say. It seemed Bella had also become distracted, since she was still watching me when she happened to miss a step. I caught her just before her head met the floor and that same static-like energy surged through me for the second time that day.

Whatever the feeling was, it had almost got the best of me that previous time- when I had saved Bella from falling off the tree. If she had not said something, I was almost certain the confusing emotions I'd felt at the moment would've made me take advantage of her. And that was the last thing I'd ever want to do, especially to someone like Bella…

Now, however, I could feel those emotions returning as Bella and I both noticed the precarious position we were in. Her upper half was less than a couple feet away from the floor, her spine and waist being suspended by my arms. I was leaning over her with my torso just barely brushing against hers and the sole of my left foot still on the last step of the staircase, where her ankles were splayed. This meant her legs were laid out between mine and with the lower half of her body turned slightly to the side, so that her knees were stacked on each other- next to my right foot- as they touched the floor.

I suppose it looked like a sort of dance pose where I dipped her way, way back. It probably would've been funny to me if I found myself like this with any other person. Although, feeling Bella in my arms again- as though she fit there, perfectly- only made my thoughts grow cloudy. If this was going to happen every time I embraced her or when our touches lingered, it was going to be a very trying experience with my sanity during Bella's stay.

_Sorry, Edward,_ I heard Alice's thoughts. _I didn't see that one coming._

Of course she didn't… I could just picture the devious little smirk on my sister's face as I continued to listen to her and the others move about the kitchen downstairs. Distracted by the image and the sounds of my family's movements, I didn't have time to register what Alice meant by her next thought before it already happened.

_Think fast, my brother._ The little voice in her head sounded smug. And no sooner had I heard it, when I felt a soft pair of lips give a light peck on my cheek.

The sensation lasted all of one second, but when Bella pulled away it felt as though the spot she'd kissed had left a warm, tingling mark. It stayed there long after I suspected it to disappear- like that one area would never be the same. As brief as it was, I could remember exactly how tender and moist her lips were, the way they shaped when pressed against my flesh. The warm, tingling feeling it left behind wasn't something that could ever be washed off. It would come back every time I thought of her, every time I'd touch that area. Bella may not have realized it, but she branded me with that one small kiss.

Suddenly, my feelings for her weren't as confusing; still difficult to understand, but no longer quite as confusing.

"I'm sorry if that was overstepping my boundaries," I heard her say. When I looked down at her, she was smiling at me sheepishly with that attractive and rosy blush on her cheeks. "It's just I've been meaning to express my gratitude for everything you've done for me these last few days. I might've said thank you before, but that won't ever be enough- considering that you've given me more than I ever had or expected from my past sixteen years of life. Not to mention you have saved me from getting a possible concussion, what, twice now…?"

"Perhaps," I chuckled as I brought us to stand upright. "However if you really did fall off that tree, you'd be dead."

"So you saved me from getting a possible concussion and from losing my life," she smiled coyly as we proceeded down the hall toward the last set of stairs. "You're on a roll Edward Cullen."

_Oh, please- can this get any more obnoxious?_ Rose's thoughts remained far less than enthusiastic. It was only due to my years of having to be around her that I was able to keep the frown off of my face. _Girl acts like he's some sort of saint or deity who took her in for the little lost puppy that she is._

A growl rumbled through my chest just low enough for Bella not to hear, but loud enough for the others downstairs. It was a warning to Rosalie. Though, she wasn't good at taking orders in this kind of situation… or hardly any situation for that matter. In her first several vampire years with me and Carlisle, he'd say that her often rebellious spirit was simply a way of showing her independence. I saw it as a way of showing her pig-headedness.

I heard Bella take an audible whiff as we neared the bottom of the final staircase. The normally uncommon smell of vegetables, cheese, and pasta permeated most of the first floor in the house. Judging by the tiny smile on her face, I'm sure it smelled quite delectable to her. All I smelt, though, was the ripe scent of milk fat and numerous substances cultivated from dirt. It may not sound too bad, but still- humans can't smell every single substance within these typical groceries or recognize where some of them have been, like being grown in soil that was occasionally covered in fertilizer made with animal excrement. I can't remember much of what real food had tasted like when I was human. However, I do remember that my first few vampire years of smelling what used to be my favorite dishes was a very, _very_ revolting experience for me.

Now, I put a smile back on my face- having grown used to the rather unappetizing smell of human food products- and kept my attention directed at Bella. "I should warn you, my family might've gone a little overboard with the cooking. Though, I'd told them not to. Esme's just glad she finally has an excuse to use the kitchen for the first time."

Bella let out a short, breathy twitter of mild amusement. "Well, _I'm_ just glad that my presence isn't a complete burden to Esme and the rest of your family."

_Don't let the ignorant kid speak too soon…_ This time, I ignored Rosalie's inner scorn completely.

"Don't be ridiculous, Bella," I said to her in a smooth consoling tone. "I told you before; you have nothing to worry about. That includes being a burden. You could never be such a thing to any of us. We are all happy to have you here. Company is a very nice change."

Someone in the kitchen scoffed.

"Of course there are always a few _others_ who don't adapt well to change," I raised my voice a little, even though it wasn't necessary. "But those 'others' have to learn to adapt eventually… or else they are simply left behind." Bella squeezed my hand that was still holding hers and light-heartedly gave me a wink. She knew who I was talking about- as did the rest of the household, I'm sure- but the gesture told me she wasn't going to let my annoyingly stubborn sister get to her.

I had meant what I said, though. Bella wasn't leaving anytime soon, so Rose would either have to get over it or leave. A harsh thought, maybe, but so were most of Rosalie's. It wasn't that she was a bad person. Aside her envy over human life, trust and respect has been a delicate subject for her- particularly since the night she was changed, the same night when she almost died. We all cared for Rosalie and she cared for us in her own special way, but it still took a while for each of us to receive her camaraderie (with the exception of Emmett, of course). Her loyalty wasn't something that could ever be easily gained. And never, in all her years of immortality, did she have any reason to even consider giving it to a human being. She still refused to even consider it now, but she would have to. If not, then she'd either leave (only to come back when she was ready to accept Bella) or keep her insults and hostility to herself.

Esme was the first to greet us as we entered the kitchen. "Bella," she smiled fondly before eying our entwined hands. I nearly forgot that I was still holding onto Bella and quickly released her palm from my grasp. She spared a brief glance at me but otherwise didn't seem to think anything of it as Esme continued. "We're cooking Italian for you."

"Oh, well… _odora meraviglioso_; it smells wonderful." Bella nodded in appreciation.

"That's good to know," Carlisle looked up from the sink that he was currently using. "My wife has been anxious to brush up on her cooking skills; it was one of her favorite hobbies in her past life. And since we rarely have company, she hasn't had the chance to practice much."

"Well, everything looks great." Bella looked at the buffet of salads, raviolis, and pastas- enough to probably feed six of her.

Esme apparently realized the quantity as well and gave Bella a more sheepish kind of smile. "I hope you're hungry."

Bella elicited another one of those short breathy twitters, looking a little bit self-conscious this time rather than mildly amused. Why? I wasn't entirely certain…

"Um- sure, absolutely," she somewhat stuttered, her gaze drifting just a fraction over Esme's shoulder. I then realized the reason for Bella's new found shyness.

Of course Rosalie would be the one to make any human guest uncomfortable. She stood perfectly still by the counter in the middle of the kitchen, holding a glass salad bowl in her hands. Her face was taut, void of emotion, though the look in her eyes was nothing short of condescending as she locked gazes with Bella. There was a moment of awkward silence with everyone watching the exchange between the two women. When it became clear that Bella wasn't getting any better at taking Rosalie's quiet scrutiny, I decided to help get the introductions over with.

"Bella, this is Rosalie, Emmett's mate." I said gently wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulder.

Bella smiled softly and respectfully nodded in Rose's direction. "It's nice to finally meet you."

No response was given other than a brief humorless huff through the nose and an audible crack from Rose's fingers tightening on the salad bowl.

Bella nervously bit her lip and swallowed, shifting her feet a little awkwardly since the arm I had around her shoulder kept her firmly planted next to me. I could feel her eyes returning to my face- probably with a look of desperation in them, wondering if she said anything wrong. However, I was too busy glaring at my soon to be ex-sister who unashamedly glared right back. Bella didn't deserve this kind of hostility. After all, it wasn't her fault that Rosalie chose to behave like a total bi-…

"Don't worry yourself too much, Belina." Emmett jested heartily, walking up behind his wife to wrap his arms around her waist. "Rosie doesn't always cope well with strangers. She'll come around after a while, though- won't you, babe?" He leaned down to place a lingering kiss on her cheek and the hostility in her eyes faded for a split second. When he pulled away, however, Rosalie only turned to give him a sardonic grin before shoving the salad bowl in his arms (causing yet another audible crack) and she stormed out of the kitchen.

After watching her leave, we all looked back at Emmett; Bella, having a worried look on her face while the rest of us (I suppose) were waiting for his next brilliant excuse. Emmett's eyes wandered from where Rosalie had just left to the salad bowl that was now in his hands, and then simply shrugged. "Like I said, don't worry about it." And as he made to casually drop the already slightly fractured bowl onto the counter, he mistakenly did it a bit too hard and the glass shattered with lettuce and other chopped vegetables spilling all over the counter as well as the floor…

There was just a beat of silence and Bella suddenly erupted into a fit of laughter. I looked down at her, confused, but after she pointed at Emmett's face I couldn't help but join in. The expression he wore was absolutely priceless- like a fish out of water, with his eyes wide in shock and his mouth partially agape, shaped like an 'o'. Soon everyone else in the room was laughing and the uneasiness caused by Rosalie's hostile exchange was quickly forgotten.

…

The family's first dinner with a human guest was… interesting, to say the least. Bella sat at the counter and ate while she listened to some of us tell her stories about each other. Carlisle was more animated than I'd ever seen him, describing the "lessons" he'd given most of us after we were changed on how to control ourselves and maintain human etiquette. He talked about how I constantly needed to be reminded to watch my speed, when the force behind my pace would blow past objects in the house causing them to tip over. After a while, he had to store what was left of his favorite artifacts in the basement and to this day was still wary of bringing any of them out of storage. He also talked about similar happenings when it came to Emmett's strength during his first few years.

Emmett was apparently a favored subject throughout most of our conversations. Although to him, I'd have guessed it was a game of 'who's laughing now…' When one of us would finish telling some story of an Emmett stunt gone wrong, he'd try to top it with another tale about a prank he'd successfully played on an unsuspecting family member. However when he ran out of pranks to tell and decided to go as far as mentioning how a middle-aged substitute teacher from years ago actually tried to seduce me one time after class, I quickly intervened before he could say much and insisted that Alice tell her story about the first time she put the family's mouthy big brother in his place.

It had happened not too long after she and Jasper had joined the family. We were all vaguely aware that Alice had visions- after all that's what led her to Jasper, and eventually what led both of them to us- but we still didn't know the actual extent of her gift. That is, not until Emmett decided to present his own personal welcome. After first taking notice of Alice's liking to fashion, Emmett decided to graciously give Alice and even her mate, Jasper, a chance to start a completely new collection of wardrobe as being new members of the family and what not. His plan was to create a stink bomb that would gradually "stinkify" the closet they shared (though, Alice was planning to have her own separate one built soon) and give their clothing a fairly potent rotten cheese sort of smell. Emmett's carefully conducted plan had come to be one of his biggest mistakes. Alice saw the whole thing coming and waited out in the closet on the day everyone in our coven was supposed to be hunting; the same day Emmett had planned to do the deed. When he opened the door on her, she poured nearly a whole glass full of skunk spay she'd somehow managed to collect directly at his face. She then laughed the whole time he bombarded through the house, blindly seeking out some sort of rag to wipe his face with. Unbeknownst to him, Alice had hidden all the cloths and rags and replaced them with articles of his own clothing. By the time the stench on his face was subtle enough for him to open his eyes, he'd not only ruined over half of the clothes he owned but also half of the house as well with his restless stumbling. Emmett had even managed to break most of Esme's favorite China, which he and Alice both got some serious lip from, after the rest of us returned from hunting.

We were all laughing so hard as Alice concluded her story, especially Bella. She nearly choked on her food and her face was almost purple from not being able to catch enough breath between her laughter. And Emmett's annoyed face with his arms folded defensively seemed to only encourage her amusement. Apparently, Bella was so carried away by her mirth that she started speaking in Italian (**Remember, she was raised in Italy…**) with words escaping her lips rapidly while trying to calm down her giggling.

"_Oh, bontà! Emmett rotto piatti preferiti di sua madre? Per vergogna, il giovane uomo, per la vergogna..._" I smiled, enjoying the way Italian words beautifully slipped from her tongue.

Everyone quieted in fascination of her foreign words; all except Carlisle- who'd spent some time with the Volturi before, and had more practice with the language than I had. He chuckled softly at Bella's statement. If it had been said a bit slower, I probably would've understood it. I'd learned many languages over the years and could speak Italian okay, but it had been quite a while since I'd practiced it- having not socialized as much when Alice and I were in Italy. I could always cheat a little and get a better grasp of what was said in people's minds, but of course I was at a loss with Bella.

"What did she just say?" Emmett asked in a clipped tone. I resisted rolling my eyes. At this point, Emmett was not a man to joke around with.

"She's fondly scolding you for wasting Esme's favorite China." Carlisle explained.

"Wasn't just my fault…" he mumbled like a cranky little boy. Bella raised a brow at this and I quietly explained to her that if there's anything more annoying to Emmett than getting teased, it's being kept out of the loop _while_ being teased.

"He doesn't know the language well enough to tell what you're saying." I added.

Bella smirked and leaned her elbows on the edge of the counter, resting her chin on her hands as she spoke directly to Emmett. "_È così che? Quindi se ho detto a te, Emmett, che tu sei il più sciocco vampiro che abbia mai incontrato, non si sarebbe comprendere tali un commento?_"

Carlisle and I were both able to catch that one and tried to sustain our laughter. Emmett narrowed his eyes at Bella and leaned across the counter from where he was standing opposite of her- their faces, only several inches apart. "I know you're not mocking me in front of my face..." he warned darkly.

Bella's eyes widened in false surprise and she sat back with a hand over her chest obviously feigning on being insulted by his assumption. "_Oh, n. io sono solo un italiano Pollicina... E tu sei l'ingenuo fratello orso, che ho divertimento che giocare con._"

Carlisle and I couldn't keep back our laughter at that smart retort.

"What," Emmett nearly exclaimed, looking up from Bella to the two of us.

"Nothing," I chuckled.

"Yeah, right. Nothing, my a-..."

"Emmett!" Esme scolded before he could finish. Bella just kept giggling in her seat at the counter, while I decided to take her now empty dinner plate since I was already standing closest to her.

"Really, son, Bella's just having a little innocent jesting." Carlisle assured. "It's nothing you should feel offended about."

"Besides," I spoke over my shoulder as I put the plate in the dish washer. "Even if you- for some reason- took offense to what she was saying, you couldn't do anything to her. She's our guest, and a fragile one at that."

"True," Emmett smirked, leering in my direction. "But I can always take my frustrations out on you. Don't think that Alice's closet story has made me forget about our sparring match later tonight."

"Oh!" Alice exclaimed from where she was sitting in Jasper's lap, on a small stool at the corner of the kitchen that was closest to the enterance Bella and I had first come through. "Bella, that reminds me..." and she flashed over to her side at the counter where I had previously been standing. "Would you like to go shopping with me tomarrow? I plan to help organize a whole new look for you!" She grinned excitedly.

Poor Bella cast a wary glance at me and I chuckled. "Don't worry, Alice has excellent taste in both fashion and people's character. Whatever she picks out will most likely suit you very well."

Alice puckered her lips and quirked a brow at me. "'_Most likely_...?' It _will_ suit her." She insisted in a most serious tone that wasn't to be questioned.

"Um," Bella mumured quietly. "Not that I don't appreciate your enthusiasm, Alice, but I'm afraid I don't have much money to purchase 'a whole new look.'"

Alice scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. Of course I'll be paying for everything." Bella opened her mouth to protest, but Alice wasn't having it. "I insist, Bella. This is something I want to do. In fact, I do it all the time for everyone in this household- ever since that day when Emmett attempted to ruin what was in my closet... After causing him to damage most of the clothes he owned, I gradually went from reorganizing _his_ closet to doing the same for everybody else. Now, I'm practically an entrepreneur of all that is the Cullen-Hale fashion."

Bella smiled at that and bit her lip. "Well..." she cast me one more uncertain glance.

I grinned back at her. "You might as well say 'yes.' Alice always gets what she wants sooner or later."

I watched with amusement as Bella took a deep breath and faced Alice again. "I suppose it couldn't hurt." She let out in a gust of wind.

Alice released a high-pitched squeal that surprised Bella and threw her off balance in the high chair she sat on. I caught her by the arms just as she began to topple over and gave my sister a scolding look for her unnessecary outburst. Of course she ignored it, too giddy about what she was already planning; she bid a rather quick good night before saying something about making a list, and then darted out of the kitchen towards the stairs.

"Speaking of good night," Carlisle said once Alice left. "Would you like to get yourself cleaned up and settled in your room, Bella?"

As if on cue, the girl who remained in my arms released a tiny yawn. I gently pulled her off the chair and made sure she had her footing before letting go. She smiled at me, then to everyone else. "That does sound nice. I had a wonderful time listening to all of your stories. And thank you Esme, everyone, for the dinner- it was delicious."

"It was our pleasure, sweetheart." Esme nearly cooed. "I'm glad you enjoyed our company as thuroughly as we enjoyed yours. I hope you have a pleasant sleep."

"And I hope you have an equally pleasant evening." Bella nodded respectfully, then turned to Carlisle. "If you don't mind me saying so, sir, the tales I've heard about you back in Volterra don't do you a justice. You seem to be a much more kind and honorable man than you were already described to be. And I am most grateful for you and your family's hospitality."

Carlisle looked shocked at her statement for a moment, but then a heart-warming grin spread across his face as he replied. "Dear child, we are the ones who should be thankful to be graced with your presence. You are one very mature and intriguing young lady. I've no doubt that your stay here will be a wonderful change and experience for all of us."

Bella blushed over his words, though what Carlisle said was one hundred percent true. I then took Bella's hand and lightly squeezed it before leading her around the counter towards our exit. I felt her stop in front of Emmett first.

"_Buona notte, Emmett_." She winked.

Emmett just rolled his eyes and reached a hand out to ruffle up her hair. "'Nite, Belina. Sleep tight... don't let the vampires bite" (_**Really**_** Emmett, are you serious!**). He wriggled his eyebrows for the second time that day.

Bella let out a short laugh and I proceeded to lead her out of the kitchen. Jasper was still sitting in the corner next to where we were about to exit and cast a polite smile at Bella as we passed. Bella smiled back and nodded in a silent way to say good night. His smile grew a little wider when she suddenly covered her mouth in attempt to stifle a much longer yawn. I glanced back at him curiously and he smirked.

_Wasn't me... mostly. _The voice in his head said cheekily. _The girl's already quite exhausted- probably ready to collapse any minute. You should- erm- get her into bed soon._

Yes, I should- wait a minute... Was that another innuendo? My assumption was confirmed when Jasper was no longer where he'd been sitting. I supressed releasing an exaggerated sigh. Great; Emmett deciding to joke about my love life was enough. Now I was supposedly at the mercy of both my brothers.

**So that's all I got to show for. Many thanks, once again, to Kathy Henry for having my back- even after I wasn't able to contact her for a long time due to my rediculous schedule. Love you, girl! You da best. ;-)**

**Also, here's a translation of what Bella was saying in Italian. I'm no expert or anything- I just used one of those type-in translators on **_**bing**_**- so I don't know if my organization of words would be correct to any Italian speaker. As far as I know, though, it should all be accurate. The sentences are listed in the order of when they were said. M'kay, that's it. Can't wait to hear what y'all think!**

"Oh, goodness! Emmett broke one of his mother's favorite dishes? For shame, young man, for shame..."

"Is that so? Then if I said to you, Emmett, that you are the silliest vampire I have ever met, you would not comprehend such a comment?"

"Oh, no. I am just an Italian Thumbelina. And you're (the) naïve brother bear that I have fun playing with."


	13. I know this is getting old

** All right, so, here's the deal: I'll probably have to officially put POH on hold for a while- (DON'T HIT ME!)- ahem, mostly because there are so many other things I'm itching to write that keep getting in the way. I hope once my "creativity overload" has been satisfied, I'll be able to think straight and thus continue this story…**

** The thing is, though, I love hearing from you guys and I hate to keep y'all waiting or out of the loop; so I've sort of come up with a solution. I still get random ideas for random parts of what I eventually plan to put in POH. For example, I'm thinking of making this fan-fic a trilogy, and I sometimes brainstorm these scenes for certain chapters that may be in one of the sequels. Since these little snippets are random and don't really reveal too much to be complete spoilers, I'm thinking of submitting some of them individually as one-shots for y'all to read on my page. I don't think I should give all of them at once, which is why each one-shot will be on my page for a LIMITED amount of time before I remove it, so that it can be replaced with a new one. All of these special one-shots will be for POH (it'll tell you so in the little summary) but I'm not gonna reveal whether or not each of these one-shots will be in the first POH fan-fic or in the following sequels.**

** I hope this is fair enough for you guys. I really wish I could be more active on this website; it's my writings' only connection to the world! It makes me feel like I'm on my way to being a good author… Your reviews prove that much. Speaking of, let me know what you think of this idea. I'm also totally open to any questions y'all might have, which can be submitted through reviews here or in the one-shot I'm getting ready to submit- and it's a doozey… ;-) Don't stop there, though; if you haven't yet, check out the other stories I have on my page when you got the time. Let me know you saw 'em by leaving reviews. **

** Again, thank you all for your patience and support! I sincerely hope I can jump back in and finish what I started real soon (viva la **_**Prisoner of Heart**_**)!**

** Your humble writer,**

** Elien or "E" **


End file.
